Q:
What can we do to protect our children from rebelling and chalilah becoming not frum?
A:
Number one, you have to live in a good neighborhood. It’s a tragic mistake to live far away from frum Jews. People who move to the suburbs are risking all the difficulties that come. In the suburbs one out of five marriages ends up in divorce. Jewish marriages!
And there are many children there who are TV children. Live in a frum neighborhood where people don’t have TVs. Very important! The neighborhood is very important.
Also, very important is what yeshivos they’re going to. Ask advice from somebody who is capable, what yeshivah the boys should go to, which school for the girls to go to. Very important!
Now, at home it’s important to talk always to the children about the greatness of being a frum Jew. About the hatzlachah, the success, of being a yarei shamayim. You have to talk about it. As much as you talk – children may not seem to listen, but they have human minds and they are listening to some extent. Talk and talk. Talk and talk. And you’ll be surprised. There will be good results.
So once more.
Number one, live in good neighborhoods.
Number two, send your children only to the best places; boys and girls to the best schools.
Number three, talk to them.
Now in addition, in case you don’t go to frum camps for the summertime, watch what your children do in the summertime. Don’t let them associate with just anybody. The streets have loafers, even frum loafers. Watch out! Be careful with whom your children associate. Very important!
And always, always bring in a good influence into your house. Always keep the house pure of the tumah, the toeivah of TV, chas veshalom. And even the radio shouldn’t be playing all day long. You want to hear what time it is, maybe the weather, that’s all. Then close it down. The radio is poison too. Keep all the outside influences out.
Magazines and newspapers of the outside world. Today especially magazines and newspapers are a toeivah. לא תביא תועבה אל ביתך. It’s terrible what the newspapers are today.
And in addition to all these things ask Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Always ask Him for siyata deshmaya. Say, “Please Hashem help me that my children should give me nachas by being very frum children.” And Hakadosh Baruch Hu will say since you’re trying so hard and you’re asking Me, you’ll all have success.”
TAPE # E-239 (July 13, 2000)
