As parents, we are constantly involved in another game of questions. "Can I go to Brian's party?" "Why is that a bad word?" "If they do it, why can't I?" "Did you do it when you were my age?" If you haven't faced questions like these yet, they're coming. I want my children to feel free to ask me any question they need answered. Hopefully, with God's help, I will direct them in the right paths of life.
During my college years, I experienced a time when many doubts about God rose in my mind. One Christian professor gave me the freedom to ask any question without threat of punishment. I had not experience that kind of freedom before because I believed it was wrong to question God. It was one of the most liberating moments of my spiritual walk! Just to know that God understood my development and knew I must face some real issues before I could continue to grow in Him was pivotal.
As God has set the example for me, now I must set the example for my children. My children will ponder the same questions and wander through the same stages I did and my wisdom will be reflected in how I respond to their questions about life. Join with me in giving our children freedom to ask without immediate judgment. Not allowing that freedom is the same as making them prisoners in their own minds. Free your children to explore God's love and His plan for them. Be a parent who is willing to listen and help them find the answers.
It will be helpful to already prepare yourself for the questions your children may soon be asking. You can pray through your responses and ask the Lord for wisdom and guidance in this area. It might also be helpful to you to remember questions you wondered about when you were your kids' age and the answers weren't forthcoming. You may have experienced the answers through some of life's difficulties and your opportunity of sharing could be very effective in helping your children relate to you as a person and understand you really do care about where they are in life.
Parents who are willing to deal with and answer difficult questions will most likely establish deep relationships with their children because of the understanding it takes to relate to each other on that level.