Have you ever heard your child say to you “mum … I want this, or Dad … can I have that?”
It might be the latest iPhone … or that new pair of jeans … or the latest gadget … or that bag of lollies in the supermarket … either way your child just HAS to have it.  Well, if you’re a parent like me … you’ve probably discovered that what your child WANTS and what your child NEEDS are often very different.  
 
The first thing to understand is that your child may not yet have learnt to distinguish between wants and needs. 
After all … they are seeing it everywhere … the latest thing comes on the tele, or they see a friend with something new.    This is where you can sit down with them … and if they are little … go through a magazine … cut out pictures of wants and pictures of needs, and put them in separate columns on a page. 
As they grow older … explain to them that the reason why companies promote their latest product on TV is because they are wanting you to purchase more of their product, to make money.
Explain to them the dangers of an entitlement mentality … that there is a cost for everything … that they are not entitled to more stuff … and that the more you have … the more you will want.
 
Explain to them the power of learning to be content with what they have, but always grateful for anything received.  Teach them how to budget … how to honour God with finance … and how to prioritise important things over wants.   It says in Heb 13:5 “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

​Have you ever wondered about your child’s character … and what it the best way to shape their character for the best?   If you’re a parent like me … you probably know what I’m talking about.  My wife and I have 3 children … and we want their character to be shaped and formed ready for their future.
 
See, you can learn a lot of good things from books … but perhaps the best teaching tool at your disposal IS YOU.  Your everyday actions and reactions are what your children will see … and so as you love, respect, and honor others in the home … your child will begin to do the same.   What’s important to you, will become important to them … even when they act as if you don’t exist.
 
Maybe you’ve heard it said, “The family that plays together, and prays together, stays together.”
But now with TVs, computers, and iPhones … dinner time can seem like a revolving door … and it can be a real struggle to do things together.   But can I encourage you to persevere.  Develop a culture of togetherness.
Look for ways to invest into your child’s character by modelling character to them. 
 
Set aside time with your child, and if you can, just begin to talk to your Heavenly Father with them.  It doesn't matter how it sounds. Then if you have a Bible … read something together … and explain to them how God has worked in your life and answered your prayers … and shaped your character, even through difficult times.
Romans 5:4 tells us that “… endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”
And Psalm 1 says “Blessed is the one who walks not in the counsel of the wicked … but his delight is in the ways of the Lord.”