Sheltering or Discipling

The term “sheltering” as used when describing the parenting skills of others is not easily defined, but the general public defines it more or less like this...
Withdrawing your child from society in an effort to keep them naive to the dangers and realities of the world in which they live.
The general feeling is that parents who shelter their children cross the line between protecting them and handicapping their ability to function in society. The fact is, that line does exist and if parents are not careful they can cross that line. Sheltering your child from danger is by no means a bad thing, neither is sheltering them from harmful information. So how is this line between protecting and handicapping defined?
People who overly "shelter" their kids fear they will fail because of knowledge. Wise parents protect and give them knowledge so they do not fail. How does this translate in everyday life? Opportunities to strengthen your child’s decision making skills, core values, morals, and ability to withstand peer pressure are presented each day they venture out into society. Think of it as building up their immune system. No matter how hard we try to protect them, our children will come across bad information, be exposed to concepts too soon, hear things they should not, and be asked to do things that are harmful to their future. It is inevitable. However, all is not lost. These circumstances can lead into a time of discipling them about the wrongs and rights of life. When our children catch a cold we don’t ignore it, nor do we withhold information that could help them through the sickness. Why then do we ignore harmful information that enters our children’s minds? We should contain it, explain it, and educate through discipleship to protect them from any future incidents.
The line between protecting and overly “sheltering” is defined by our ability or intentionality to disciple. If we do not educate our children we only postpone possible dangers. If we take the opportunities to disciple them we eliminate those same dangers. Is this to suggest that our children will not go through struggles? Absolutely not, but it does equip them with the right tools to navigate successfully through society. Tools are always more valuable than naivety or ignorance. The romantic idea of raising children to be naive and innocent is more likely a fantasy. If our children will play any part in society they will be exposed to dangers and their innocent minds will be assaulted. It is our job as parents to equip them with tools as we disciple them as problems and opportunities arise. We might not be able to protect them from everything, but we can equip them for anything.
God Bless,
Pastor Paul LaRose