All my worrying as a parent, all my lectures, all my sleepless nights, all of my eloquently worded reprimands, so misguided....a relief and yet a terrifying and humbling thought to see what a responsibility rests on a parent's shoulders.
"A large part of the responsibility for a person's spiritual state lies with the family. For children to be released from their various inner problems it is not enough for them to receive good advice or to be compelled by force; nor do logical arguments or threats do any good. These things rather make matters worse. The solution is to be found through the sanctification of the parents. Become saints and you will have no problems with your children. The sanctity of their parents releases the children from their problems. Children want to have saintly people at their side, people with lots of love who will neither intimidate them nor lecture them, but who will provide a saintly example and pray for them. You parents should pray silently to Christ with upraised arms and embrace your children mystically. When they misbehave you will take some disciplinary measures, but you will not coerce them. Above all you need to pray. "
Elder Porphyrios of Kafsokalyvia
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