(Editor’s note: Next week “The Single Family” will be examined by Rita O’Mara of Immaculate Heart of Mary parish.)

By Patricia and Patrick Golden

The year of 1980 has been proclaimed “The Year of the Family” and we believe that the family is the most important unit of our society. We, as a young couple, gave birth to our first child, Renie Catherine, this past year. Experiencing her birth was by far the most wonderful happening that we could have shared together. And we feel that this experience marked the beginning of our household – “our family.”

Like many young married couples, we have many considerations to think about for our new addition. Two of the main issues that concern us are religious education and the morality of our society. These topics together will play an important part in the shaping of our daughter’s character and personality. Although these issues are important factors, we feel that the love and understanding we can give our child every day of her life will be the best possible foundation for her over the years. If the family is taught to love and understand and respect each other, then that example of sharing can stand as a bright light in the community.

When it comes to religious education, we feel that a lot of society’s problems result from the fact that we as a society have drifted from our faith in God. We must always be aware of this at home and begin teaching our children about God when they are very young. This way they will grow up knowing that God is our Father and without Him nothing would be possible. Most of all, He’s always there, depend on Him.

Since many of us cannot afford private or even parochial schools, more responsibility is placed on us as parents to take part in the Church’s religious programs for our children. We should review their books and take part in their Sunday learning experiences just as we would other subjects. Perhaps we could give some aid to the teachers. There is no better way for a family to knit closer together than by warmly acting as one. We are all familiar with the saying “A family that prays together, stays together.” We could all benefit by putting this into practice each day. Those who lose sight of God in their daily lives are on shaky ground.

The tragedy is so many of us are careless in the home and so morality is at an all time low. We hope that our child grows up understanding that money and material objects are not the keys to happiness, and these things are only transitory. We want her to have self-respect for her spirit and her body. Knowing that God has a special purpose for her, and seeing her parents’ daily love for Him, she too will establish a firm and solid relationship with her maker.

We feel that it is very important to keep a child’s mind stimulated, never giving her time to be bored. Often it is those that have no background of good and proper stimulation, follow a path of destruction leading to the sad state of violence and crime in their young life.

As a family, we can work together to make our child strong in body, to be happy, to have all questions answered as soon as possible, to become as free as possible from fears, to have a strong curiosity – always inquiring and therefore always learning.

But more important, it is our strong desire that she come to know and understand her Father in heaven.

To have a family has made our lives more meaningful and complete. For with it we will experience love, sadness and joy. The memories we both have of our own families are always special, never to be forgotten, forever cherished. If we do our part, as parents, to show our child love, to teach her self- respect, give her a desire to learn and excel, then society will be a better place for her and all other children. If all parents teach these basics, then society will be a better place for all of us.

May the New Year, the special Year of the Family inspire all young families to bring this about.