Fathering Is Simply Discipleship

Fathering Is Simply Discipleship

Discipleship is intentional. It doesn’t happen on its own. It takes time, effort and energy to do what is necessary, including discipline.

If we don’t disciple our own child, the world, or rather, the devil will.

It is easier to learn than to unlearn. My wife and I had to teach J to unlearn a number of things which he learnt from his peers in childcare, including plenty of singlish and even phrase like “What the hell” (well, one of his childcare mates loved to say it regularly). Thank God he has unlearnt that.

The law of first mention leaves a significant impact and impression in the life of a child. As parents, we want to be the first to teach him important stuff before the world gets to him.

Most of the children in Singapore spend more time in the world (due to educational institution), which means that parents need to work even harder to teach their kids to unlearn. 

What seems to be more comfortable (“Give me a break, my child. Phew! You are in school and I can do my own things.”) actually demands more intentional discipleship, since there isn’t extended parenting available.

I am a strong advocate for homeschooling, as you probably already know. This decision is one that requires us to pay a price. It costs us in so many ways but nothing costs as much as our own child and the kingdom.

Will our child turn out well because of homeschooling? We can only trust God as we steward the gift He has given. Ultimately, the child has free will and his own responsibility. We cannot decide where he should go. But we can decide where he should start.

Giving him a good start in the kingdom life is simply our responsibility and our assignment as his disciplers, teachers and parents. How he continues the journey and how he ends is his responsibility and his assignment before God, whom he is answerable in the Last Day.