Go back and look at the account in 1 Kings, particularly with regard to Solomon's son, Rehoboam.  He didn't take his father's wisdom much to heart, now, did he?  If anything, he seems to have completely rejected it.  I've been wondering if this was a hard headed child.  Was he strong willed?  Did Solomon have deep conversations only to be ignored, rejected, blown off, so to speak?  He didn't get hard headed over night, now, did he?  Is much of Proverbs Solomon's effort to leave at least some written advice, a reminder, for a son who had a tendency toward the opposite?  A tendency to listen to the wrong voice?  And in spite of this legacy left to him, he walked in the counsel of his peers, losing 10 of 12 tribes in the process.  WOW!  I mean, really really WOW!  Listen to Solomon's heart again as you read those verses.  The heart of the parent of a potential prodigal.  In spite of his wisdom, Solomon could not will his own son, his successor, to listen and follow in all that he laid out in this writing. 

Another couple of verses struck me in the last couple of weeks. 

But as many as received him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  John 1:12-13

Salvation, like wisdom, is not of the will of man.  We can't will our children to be saved, nor can we will them to be wise.  They get to make choices, just as we do.  We'd like to will them to make good choices.  We'd prefer they didn't learn things the hard way.  We'd prefer not to have our descendants be a "bad king".  And we can exhort, even knowing their tendencies, and leave a written testimony.  But they still make their own decisions. 

It's a bittersweet observation.  As a mom who homeschools my kiddos with a Christian worldview, it's a reminder that they each have their own will, their own choices and errors to make.  I can't WILL them into the kingdom, but can exhort and encourage with all my heart.  Hopefully, the time devoted to encouraging will make a difference.  Each one seems to have his or her own version of "strong will".  The art of parenting is imperfect, as Solomon's family attests.  The line of David did not generally defer to David's passion, nor to Solomon's wisdom.  Hence an assortment of good and bad kings.  This example is, all the more, reason to pray hard and, as my favorite verses detail, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path."  (Proverbs 3:5-6)