Too many parents make life hard for their children by trying, too zealously, to make it easy for them.

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

11/25/99:

The most important thing for a parent to teach a child, above all do’s and don’ts, is the habit of analyzing one’s own thoughts and actions. Without this, laws and morality become meaningless and futile. Such an existence is virtually animal.

from 5/30/99 entry:

Remember:

• Don’t ever give your children money at church to put in the offering dish. They will lose the significance of the act.
• Also, don’t force them to tithe. Tithing is a voluntary act. Simply set a good example.

from 5/30/99 entry:

At what point should a child be accepted as a full church member?

Perhaps adult members should be responsible for (and held accountable for) passing on the teaching of church doctrine as the child matures. Then, when it is clear that they appreciate the significance of being a member, they could be given full membership.