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Understanding their need is crucial as we parent our children.How can we help them unless we know what their needs are?

Our children have 4 basic needs. We know there are 4 basic needs because Jesus as a child grew in these 4 areas.

Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

Jesus grew intellectually, physically, spiritually, and socially. Our children have to also grow in these four areas. Let’s look at each one of these. First one is intellectual need.

1.     Grow Intellectually

Children don’t know what’s good for them or not. My daughter had long hair when she was 4 years old. My daughter one day thought it was a good idea to cut her own hair right in the middle. Then two months ago, our two year old son thought it was a good idea to cut her hair again. Naomi was screaming for help. Our children need to be taught what is right and wrong. They have intellectual need. Even older children need direction or they will play video games for several hours without doing their homework or eat only snacks and sugary food. When you find a teaching opportunity, you pause them and sit down and talk to them.

2.     Grow Physically

Children are limited physically. Young children cannot go grocery shopping and cook meals on their own. We have to protect our children from harm and meet their physical needs.

3.     Grow Spiritually

Why are our children selfish, talk back to us, have a tantrum, fight or act mean to their siblings, outburst of anger, lying? Sometimes, I am surprised by the behaviour of my children, and I have to remind myself. The Bible gives us an answer. The problem is their fallen nature called sin.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? Romans 3:10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.

Our children need a change of heart, and that will only happen through Jesus Christ. Their spiritual need is the highest priority, and when that is met everything else will fall in place.

4.     Grow Socially

The baby cries when he needs something. The baby won’t cry when someone else needs help. As the baby grows, it is our responsibility to teach them that there are other people than them, and they need to be thoughtful of others. They need to share toys and wait for turns.

We have to help our children to grow intellectually, physically, spiritually, and socially.