Unpopular Opinion Pt. 1

My writing isn’t based on the media or politics. My writing is usually provoked by something stirring in me. Unfortunately, the something that is stirring in my heart is a something that seems to get a lot of political attention and pops up everywhere in the media.

So, before I go too deep, I want to start by saying there is a good and holy God who loves you. Regardless of what you believe, God loves you and desires a relationship with you.
Secondly, we can agree to disagree. I have been known to be a people-pleaser so what I’m about to say, this unpopular opinion I have stored up inside me bursting to evacuate is likely not going to please many people. God rarely places information or a calling on someone’s heart that will be mutually accepted by everyone.

Also, because I have so much to say. I am going to break this down into parts. Starting with my first opinion.

Unpopular Opinion #1: It is the parent’s job to teach their children about sex.

Ephesians 6:4, We, as parents, are told to instruct and discipline our children in the way of the Lord. The Bible says plenty about sex. A parent should teach their children about their body, appropriately. A parent should help their child, when it is age appropriate, understand God’s design for sex and how it pertains to procreation as well as the way it can be used sinfully. A parent knows his/her child best and knows the right time to bring up this topic.

The government does not.

Parents love and nurture their children, provide and lead to the best of their abilities. Then all of a sudden the clock strikes some magical tune between the ages of 5-7 and a child is launched out into the real world. Alone, children without the full ability to navigate the prefrontal cortex, emotions, or fight and flight instincts are asked to trust and follow a complete stranger.

Not all, but many parents take a back seat and let the teacher hold the reigns on a child’s heart. This is unfortunate. A teacher, an educator, is in place to educate a child in a particular subject. It is a parent’s job to be a child’s first, main, and foundational teacher. I could list scripture for miles about the role of parent’s. It all boils down to training children up in the way they should go for when they are older they will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

I love teachers. I think most teachers are incredible people. Underpaid and under appreciated, teachers desire for students to love learning. Teachers are asked to instruct classrooms of 20 (or more) students all with individual needs. A teacher is expected to minister to the four students falling behind in their course work, mediate conflict between two students, accommodate the IEP needs for three different students, guide the middle of year transfer student, challenge the two gifted students and still keep the other eight engaged. Of course, this is not enough because teachers are also grading papers and building lesson plans in the small windows of time she isn’t standing guard at lunch duty, implementing a new gun-safety protocol, meeting with a principal or parent, coaching or facilitating an extra-curricular activity, making dinner for and attending to her own family.

But now, we want teachers to be the parents of our children, too.

I am not a parenting expert, but the Bible gives us plenty of information on how to conduct ourselves as parents. If I am pawning my duties off on someone else because I feel “ill-equipped” then I am going to reap the consequences of that choice. Our children will run to anyone but mom and dad for authority on a matter.

I was not properly educated on sex in my home and unfortunately this is the case for a lot of children. But it wasn’t that sex was not talked about in the home. The graphic, specific, and sexualized way in which sex was brought up wrecked me. I was confused, unsure. I still gravitated toward the notion that sex is bad and disgusting despite the nonchalant way in which it was approached. I believe that a continuation of this kind of teaching at school would have only enforced those ideas in me. I believe, for me, I would have been more confused and likely more promiscuous because seeing and hearing about this from all sides is as if permission is being granted.

You may not agree with this. You may not agree with the Truth that God created each person man and woman (Genesis 1:27) but you do have to consider your children. Is this the type of life, the type of lie, you want them to live? Do you want them to grow into adulthood ashamed, confused, regretful and resentful because you couldn’t grow up and be the parent?

It’s not too late to be a better parent and begin discussing these issues with your children appropriately. Just like it’s not too late to have a relationship with Jesus. You can start new today in the way you view your role in your child’s life. You cannot undo every motion you’ve set in place in your child’s life but you can reroute. You can shift gears and honestly communicate with your child that you are learning more and have learned a better way.

God placed your children in your life for a purpose. Have you considered their purpose?

As you continue to follow a long in this short series I have planned, I pray that you will learn more about God as your Creator. I pray you will seek the Truth and not just your perceived truth.