Kids are the greatest

One of the greatest modern marathon runners is Kenya's COSMAS NDETI, twice winner of the Boston Marathon.

The interesting thing is that he named his son "Boston" in honour of the event. Recently Cosmas said of his relationship with God, "Prayer is our greatest defence against the Enemy."

I think the lad will always remember his father's teaching. Thousands of years ago, God said, "Train a child in the way he should go:and when he is old, he will not turn from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

You never forget what you learned as a child. Many people mistakenly think a child doesn't need his parents' time, effort and help to develop fully. Children learn what they live: we teach them by our words, attitudes, and especially our actions.

I suppose many of my readers don't have children yet. Someone once asked a famous teacher, "At what age should you start to educate a child?" He replied: "Twenty years before he's born." If you haven't a family yet, now is a good time to start thinking about the children you'll have some day.

Think especially about the fact that the best you can give a child isn't money, education, or a good job, though these things can be important.

The best thing you can give your child is yourself: your time, effort, understanding, help and unconditional love.

The most vital part of their life is your relationship with God. Nothing is more important to your child, because it will give meaning to their life.

It will teach them to understand the world, to love others and love their Creator. No child is happier with their parents than the one that has always seen them close to God.

Another thing: never forget the importance of treating children with dignity. They are gifts from God, and God himself defends them. There is nothing more abhorrent than child abuse.

Unfortunately, society doesn't always see it that way. Please, never mistreat a child, no matter what.

Children are the greatest, the most precious thing in the universe, and they deserve to be treated with tender care and unconditional love.