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Author challenges parents to raise children that resist the current cultural trends

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NEWS SOURCE: Adams Group

Nashville, TN − In a recent Barna Research study, half of all parents  say they talk to their children daily about self-control, happiness, and patience. But less than 40% talk to their kids about serving others, conflict resolution, or being reliable. In her new book, “How to Build Children with Integrity”, author and bible study teacher Karen Budzinski offers parents strategies to tackle the subjects that shape the core of their children’s character. Budzinski says that on average, if a person interacts with only three people per day, they will impact over 80,000 people during their lifetime, and that, she says, is why integrity is so imperative.

“As the mother of five, I have learned that raising children to adulthood requires integrity: the wholeness that comes from knowing who you are, what you stand for and what you live for,” says Budzinski. “Integrity is consistent; it can be counted on. Building children requires that you build them with ethics and character that will stand against the flood of social opposition to strong values. ‘How to Build Children with Integrity’ is a toolbox of resources and ideas for parents and those who are involved with children. This book is meant to be used as a springboard to get people to think of how they can take normal everyday life and build something lasting in children along the way. I include many ideas on how to train character, starting with ages where parents are not even accustomed to thinking ahead to outcomes yet.

“How to Build Children with Integrity” deals with topics such as contentment, selfishness, being responsible, accepting failures and imperfections, finding joy in an imperfect world, and teaching kids to be a givers instead of a takers— a subject that cuts to the root of what Budzinski says has become a narcissistic society.

“Research over the past few years seems to show that as people become less materialistic their well-being —including good relationships and sense of purpose—rises. When talking about greed and parasitic people that are consumed with what they can get from others, people that will never get enough, the Bible refers to leeches with …twin daughters named ‘Gimme’ and ‘Gimme more’ (Proverbs 30.15 MSG). Leeches are known for sucking blood insatiably: they can ingest up to five times their body weight in blood taken from their host! A gruesome word picture, but the comparison is stark. Sadly, by pummeling our children with things, we can produce leeches with the mentality of ‘Gimme’ and ‘Gimme more;’ and they will never have enough things to satisfy them. Just as parents don’t realize the damage done until it is too late, the host of a leech often doesn’t feel the pain until it is too late.”

Budzinski says parents need to re-affirm their position as heads of their households, as disciplinarians and, ultimately, as builders of the next generation.

“In the midst of an anti-Christian culture, it is easy to get swept up into a flurry of activities that have no eternal value,” Budzinski says. “Activities substitute and take away time that should be used for training in many homes. Many fathers are out of the house, not only because of divorce but maybe even because of the need to work long hours. Social media often substitutes for face-to-face relationships. My experience is that many families are looking for help in how to counteract the cultural opposition to training children who are able to excel not just academically, but morally. The most important social institution according to Christian teaching is the family, and that institution is being pushed more and more into the background by undue encroachments of the community and of the state. The lives of children are no longer molded solely by the loving atmosphere of the Christian home; in fact, often children or parents spend most of their time away from their homes. Since it is so limited, we must use our time and how we train our children wisely.”

About Karen Budzinski:

For nearly four decades, Karen Budzinski has directed Women’s Ministries for several churches, served as a Sunday School teacher for adult, youth and children’s classes, taught Discipleship and New Believer’s Classes, led marriage groups for couples, and counseled troubled marriages. She attended Central Bible College to study Biblical Counseling, and has held seminars and taught homiletics to individual groups, district denominational gatherings, as well as leaders in Peru and Haiti. She speaks to various MOPS groups each year, and teaches an on-going class on Building Better Relationships in her home and at church. She has five children and 14 (soon to be 15) grandchildren. She and her husband, Gary, have been married for 37 years and reside in Michigan. For more information, visit www.KarenBudzinski.com.


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