Question Box

◼ May both parents report the time used for the regular family study?

Although fathers have the primary responsibility of bringing their children up “in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah,” both parents share in training their children. (Eph. 6:4) The Bible encourages children: “Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother.” (Prov. 1:8) One important aspect of parental training is the family Bible study.

In the past, only the parent conducting a family study with unbaptized children would report the time, even when both parents were involved in the discussion. However, this is being adjusted. If during the family study both parents share together in teaching the children, then both may count a maximum of one hour a week as field service. Of course, parents generally spend much more than one hour a week teaching their children. Training children involves constant effort on the part of both parents. (Deut. 6:6-9) However, the monthly field service report should reflect primarily what is being accomplished in the field. Therefore, no more than one hour a week is to be counted, even if the study lasts longer than an hour, is conducted more than once a week, or separate studies are conducted with the children. Only one parent would report the family Bible study and up to one return visit each week that the study was conducted.