Add us to your circlesA Chapter At A Time: Why Children Matter
Discussing Christian parenting
with Johann Christoph and Verena Arnold
In a world which is increasingly hostile to children, it is vitally important to give each one a childhood that glorifies God. That's why I've written another book on Christian parenting, Why Children Matter. We have been posting a chapter on our website every Friday. If you follow along, you'll be able to give me feedback on specific topics. Your opinions will be appreciated and thoughtfully considered!
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A Letter to the Reader
Just in – Cardinal Dolan of New York weighs in on Why Children Matter. Read more...
Introduction
In the fifteen years since this book was first published, the state of our children has changed only for the worse; the world is in crisis because we do not love our children. Read more...
Chapter One: The Childlike Spirit
Then children were brought to him so that he could lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them”. (Matt. 19:13–14) Read more...
Chapter Two: Founding a Family
Today even our government warns us that the traditional nuclear family is on the way out. The family as we have known it for centuries has fallen apart, and children are increasingly being brought up by grandparents or siblings. Read more...
Chapter Three: The Unborn Child
The nine months of waiting for a baby can deepen a couple's relationship and bring them closer to each other than any other time in their marriage. Read more...
Chapter Four: Birth
Every time a baby is born, eternity comes down to our world. We feel joy in the arrival of a new human being and know that, in receiving an innocent soul, we have received something from the hand of the Creator himself. Read more...
Chapter Five: Motherhood
A true mother thinks day and night about the well-being of her children. She is the first to praise them and to comfort them, and is also the first to protect them when she senses that they may be in danger. Read more...
Chapter Six: Fatherhood
God is the ultimate example of fatherhood. He is the father of us all – young and old – and we are his children. There are no exceptions. Read more...
Chapter Seven: Creating a Home
It is one thing to have children. To create a true home is quite another matter. Preparing a place of love and security for children is one of the most wonderful things parents can do. Such a home will reflect our love to God and our love for our children. Read more...
Chapter Eight: The Role of Grandparents
Grandparents are the most wonderful thing in the world – at least many children think so. But many of us are ambivalent about their role in family life. Read more...
Chapter Nine: The First Years
Educators have long held that the first five years of a child's life are the most formative; whatever children experience in this period will influence them for the rest of their lives. Read more...
Chapter Ten: Teaching Respect
All of us are familiar with the biblical commandment that is the cornerstone of child rearing: Honor father and mother. But what does it mean? Read more...
Chapter Eleven: Spoiling Your Child
Despite the fact that millions of children around the globe grow up in acute poverty, most children in our society have far more than they need. We are raising a whole generation of children who can only be called spoiled. Read more...
Chapter Twelve: Discipline
In an age when discipline of any kind is regarded as abuse, it is tempting to dismiss the Old Testament proverbs about sparing the rod and spoiling the child. Read more...
Chapter Thirteen: Explaining Life, Death, and Suffering
In speaking about birth, death, and the other mysteries of human existence with children, it is good to remember that all of life is in God's hands. Read more...
