Participants believed that it was imperative for them as parents to model positive behaviors that would assist in their child’s spiritual development. They felt that as parents it is important to encourage positive behaviors and to question behaviors that are problematic. Furthermore, participants argued that if they continue to model positive behaviors overtime their children will grasp the importance of their teachings. When discussing the benefits from clear guidance and boundaries parents asserted that:
“There’s actually a lot of stuff. It was a lot easier for me to look at the spiritual side…affirming the kids, encouraging them, pushing them….Pushing them on “why are you doing that?—what drives you to do that?—why would you react that way?” or whatever. Challenging them. Loving them. Modeling—for sure.”
(Canada)
“But they probably are grasping whatever you say. They probably are not able to put the jigsaw puzzle in the right place yet, but probably experience will teach them to put things in place when they start to experience a particular need. And then suddenly they realize that ‘the teaching I learned sometime in the past seems to relate to the solution for this particular problem.’ And then they start putting the jigsaw puzzle in place.”
(India)
Parents find that their children do not have the experience or the capacity to deal with situations that arise in life, and therefore it is their responsibility to model positive behaviors and to guide them. In addition, to guiding their children parents believe that it is vital to question their child’s choices and to encourage them to make those choices that will have positive impacts on their lives. In doing the above parents found will assist in their child’s spiritual development.
