On the Upbringing of Children

I do not agree with everything written in this article, but the entire thing is well worth reading and reflecting on. It's a piece that alternatively encourages the soul and stings the conscience of its reader. It's not something that can be read and then forgotten. I'm thinking of printing it out and highlighting select portions to read and re-read as I try to engrave their principles on my soul.

Such highlighted portions would include:

"...parents need to devote themselves to the love of God. They need to become saints in their relation to their children through their mildness, patience and love. They need to make a new start every day, with a fresh outlook, renewed enthusiasm and love for their children. And the joy that will come to them, the holiness that will visit them, will shower grace on their children."

~ ~ ~

"A mother should not be satisfied by giving her child a physical caress, but should also coddle it with the caress of prayer..."

~ ~

"As long as you love your children with human love — which is often pathological — the more they will be mixed-up, and the more their behaviour will be negative. But when the love be­tween you and towards your children is holy and Christian love, then you will have no problem."

(except, of course, God loved His children with a holy love and they certainly gave Him problems, so I wouldn't take this as strongly as He puts it... but chances of problems are significantly reduced if we give up our human love for Christian love!)