Are Your Children Ready?
1. Why is there a need for schoolchildren to be prepared?
1 The time is approaching for another school year to begin. Your children will no doubt experience new challenges and pressures. They will also have fresh opportunities to “bear witness to the truth.” (John 18:37) Are they ready?
2. In order to be prepared, what should your children know?
2 Do your children clearly understand what constitutes participation in nationalistic ceremonies and pagan holidays and why sharing in them is wrong? Are they prepared for the pressure they will receive to pursue higher education, date, and use alcohol or drugs? Would they simply say that an objectionable activity is against their religion, or do they know how to explain their beliefs?—1 Pet. 3:15.
3. How may parents use their Family Worship evening to prepare their children?
3 Use the Family Worship Evening: Of course, you will likely have discussions throughout the school year as the need arises. Your making a special effort to consider school-related matters before classes resume will give your children confidence. Why not use one or more Family Worship evenings for this? You might ask your children what causes them the most anxiety as they contemplate going back to school. Matters that you have considered in previous years can be reviewed now that the children are older and have increased understanding. (Ps. 119:95) You could include practice sessions in which you pretend to be a teacher, counselor, or fellow student. Teach your children how to answer from the Bible and to use such tools as the Reasoning book and the Young People Ask books. One parent used practice sessions to prepare her children to approach their new teachers at the start of each school year and inform them that they are Jehovah’s Witnesses.—See The Watchtower, December 15, 2010, pages 3-5.
4. What will wise parents do?
4 The challenges Christian youths must face during these last days are increasingly “hard to deal with.” (2 Tim. 3:1) Wise parents will try to anticipate them. (Prov. 22:3) Before the new school year begins, do all you can to help your children be ready.