How do I train my children to choose righteously?  That is a hard question to answer.  I think I need to start first with, “how do I train myself to choose righteously?”  The choices I make are the same ones my children will, for the most part.  They pattern off of me at a very young age.  How I handle that will decide how they choose later. 

I have always been an intentional parent.  I began training my children very early.  Everything was done for a reason.  When the six-month-old was crawling, I would set things in front of them that were “no touch” to train them.  It worked.  They learned not to touch things that were not theirs.  Yet, inside things were not always so exact.

From the outside, it appeared that I had my children all nice and orderly.  Yet, inside I felt like I was swimming.  Treading water to keep my head up!  I felt out of control and constantly questioning.  I simply followed on the treadmill of life and never really enjoying it. 

Then something changed.  I realized that there was more to obedience than the outward appearance of “toeing the line”.  I realized that I needed to have my children’s hearts.  A simple, “Yes Mom” was not enough. They needed to have the desire to do right.  True obedience to our Heavenly Father would not be accomplished if I did now gain their hearts early. 

How do we gain their hearts?  That truly is the question the question we need to be asking.  If they give us their hearts when they are young, then they will be able to give their hearts to the Heavenly Father at a young age.  Then in turn, they will desire to make righteous choices. 

I begin the process by making righteous choices, myself.  I choose to be consistent in my training.  I choose NOT to react in a situation, but to be proactive in how I handle a “training session”.  I remind myself that they will always test the boundaries.  That is where the consistency comes in.  Wait for them to test those boundaries when they are young.  Then, consistently train them in the way they should go.

I choose to look at God’s big picture, as much as I am shown, to realize that there is more to this little person than I am seeing in the moment.  Each circumstance is shaping them and the culmination is what makes the person.  One moment does not define them (regardless of what the world may say). 

So, does that mean they will always make righteous choices?  Well, my question is, do you?