Tips for Stewarding a Child's Heart | Renée at Great Peace

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As moms we are given a responsibility like no other, we are to be stewarding our child’s heart. Our role as their mom is to instill within the heart love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self control. We are to set them on a path that will lead to a productive and fruitful adult life. While doing so, we are to protect their hearts and minds from being contaminated with the antithesis of those traits: hatred, sorrow, discord, impatience, cruelty, and instability.

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A steward is one who is given responsibility. Generally, it is used in reference to being a steward of the financial affairs of others. But in its root form, the word steward refers to a house guardian. Consider one who protects a house, and you begin to think of a steward more as a protector than one who manages money. Essentially a steward is one who manages all aspects of a home, or cares for the needs of others.

A MOM’S STEWARDING RESPONSIBILITY

Mothers especially are suited to be stewards. We care for both the physical needs of our family, manage the household, live within budgets, provide meals and oversee the well-being of our children. More so, as moms we are stewards as caretakers of our child’s heart.

As moms we are stewards of our children as caretakers of hearts. Click To Tweet

This role, is a Biblical role.

“that they [older women] admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.” Titus 2:4,5*.

While many would argue that this and other Biblical text is antiquated and our modern society does not reflect such teaching, I would say that by our very nature, women, mothers are to love their children and be homemakers. We take care of our kids. It’s simply what we do and who we are. Especially, those of us who have chosen to educate at home.

So how do we go about being stewards of our child’s heart? What protection can we offer them, what guidance can we give? How do we teach traits which will lead to a well-rounded joyful and loving adult? As a Christian, for me it begins in God’s word. Whether you are a Christian or not there is some practical advice that can be given which can help in the stewarding journey.

5 Stewarding Tips for Your Child’s Heart

▬ Protect Your Child’s Eyes. Exposing your children to violence, immodest dress, sexual content or other behaviors that are the antithesis of what you are trying to instill, will only lead them to confusion, doubt and temptation to participate.

Think about what beach or pool you will go to, if any, because of how the public dresses in that environment.

Pay attention to what stores you take, or allow, your child in to. Does the store branding/advertising reflect your role of protecting their eyes?
Consider carefully what you allow your children to watch on television or the computer.

You can never undo what your child sees. The image will be burned into their memory to be drawn upon throughout their lifetime. It’s in your face, so to speak.

So as a stewarding mom, you must be diligent to protect their eyes. Just because everyone else is watching, or doing it, doesn’t mean you should.

▬ Protect Your Child’s Ears. Allowing foul language to be a part of your child’s life, will only lead to a life of foulness. Protect them from hearing language that you would never say.

Turn off television programs that use such language. Refuse to go to movies that insist on putting that one curse word in to get a higher rating.
Don’t allow certain words to be said by friends who visit your home. As a child my parents had standing rules for friends. “If you want to visit our home, you will not ___” fill in the blank. They required respect and were rewarded with respect.

Sadly, we get too caught up in “I don’t want to offend…” But the reality is, as stewards we are the protectors of our homes and our homes should be a safe haven for our children and all those who choose to visit.

▬ Instill a Love of Good Things. As the Dorothy Law Nolte poem states, Children Learn What They Live.

As a steward of your child’s heart, if you teach them to love good things, they will grow to love good things.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8

I am not talking about monetary things, I’m talking about doing good for others things, speaking good things, reading good things and teaching good things to your children.

▬ Speak Gently in Love. If your child learns from being screamed at, they will grow up to be a screamer. But, if you teach your child gently, but firmly, in love for their heart, they will grow to be a loving caring individual. Stewarding love isn’t as easy as it sounds. It requires patience and gentleness on our own part.

Our ability to reflect this can be two-fold: one, how we ourselves were taught as a child; and two, the conscious choice we make as an adult. There is some truth to the old adage, “You can get more flies with honey than with vinegar.”

▬ Train in Self Control. Teaching self control begins by exhibiting self control. Controlling one’s tongue, attitude, frustrations, and reactions is key to setting the same expectations for our children.

If you want your child to speak kindness about others, you must yourself speak kindness about others.

If you want your child to control their anger, you must be in control of your own emotions.
If you want your child to be diligent in managing their frustrations, you can’t let them see/hear you flying off the handle at every frustration that comes along.

Stewarding your child’s ability to self control begins with you.

I’m not saying we should approach this stewarding of our child’s heart all alone. In fact, it should be a combined effort between mom and dad. Moreover, it should be a combined effort of our extended family, and close friends. We should surround ourselves with like-minded individuals who are seeking to steward the hearts of children in a similar way. Doing so makes the effort easier.

As a mom, especially a Christian mom, my desire is to steward my child’s heart, to protect it, care for it and help him to train his own heart to be loving, kind and full of joy.

It was by no means an accident that the character traits mentioned in the first paragraph are taken from scripture. I listed the fruit of the spirit as found in Galatians 5:22-23. These traits, in my opinion, lead to a happier, more loving adult life.

What are your guiding principles for stewarding your child’s heart? Share in the comments so others can benefit from your knowledge.