By Curt Williams, Founder & Executive Director
The fourth of the Five Things You Owe Your Kids is access to medical care. Even the most distracted parent would have to agree that providing needed medical care to their children is wise and fair.
Regular professional medical care, provided as needed, is the responsibility of every parent. You bring a kid into the world; it is your job to do all you can to keep him healthy. Some of this bounces back to the first of the five things: Food. If you view food as a pacifier, or as entertainment or appeasement, you are not providing for long-term health; instead, you are setting them up for future physical challenges.
What access to medical care does not include is frivolous cosmetic procedures that address the physical yet do nothing to improve one’s character or depth as a human being. More and more, young people are going under the knife to change or enhance their appearance. Often, this is simply a child mirroring what they have witnessed their parents do in hopes of staving off age and gravity.
You owe your kids reasonable medical, dental and—if needed—psychological care. Make sure you are taking them to a wise and seasoned medical professional, and not a physician with an ideological ax to grind. Christian doctors will always be my choice, as they humbly acknowledge the Great Physician and leave space for Him to act. Please consider all of this when seeking care for your child.
Order Curt’s book, White Knuckle Parenting, for more wisdom on raising kids at every age.
