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encourage older children to study some profitable books, or to play quiet, subdued and educational
games. It is all right for young children to play quietly on the Sabbath.

But they should, however, be taught to rest from their routine work, homework or boister-
ous play on the Sabbath. They should be instructed in a kind and straightforward manner that the
seventh day is holy to their heavenly Father, and that they can show their love for Him by refrain-
ing from their usual play on that day.

Your children should be taught these things gradually and only as their age makes it possi-
ble for them to understand. If trained properly from infancy, a ten- or twelve-year-old child should
have enough respect for YEHOVAH's Sabbath that he (or she) does not spend his or her time read-
ing "funny books" or watching TV programs on that day.

At first, keeping the Sabbath may seem strange to your children, and they may be annoyed
at not being able to do the things they used to do on that day. But you, as a parent, can do a lot to
offset any such resentment.

Make sure you spend time with your children -- especially if they are young. Walk with
them. Talk with them. Have a family Bible study. Read them stories from the Bible. Encourage
them to ask questions about YEHOVAH or the Sabbath.

There are many things you can do on the Sabbath that will appeal to your children if you
will only think about it: A family picnic; a walk in the woods, park or merely around the block. If
you really follow through with this principle, it won't be long before your children begin to associ-
ate the Sabbath with family togetherness.

Don't Push Your Family

When YEHOVAH begins to open a person's mind to His truth, one of the biggest problems
to be wary of is trying to cram that knowledge down the throats of others. DON'T MAKE THIS
MISTAKE!

Yeshua tells us to let our light shine (Matthew 5:16). That is what we should do. Set the
right example. If your husband or wife is uninterested, don't force YEHOVAH's truth upon him or
her. If you do, you will soon find relations between you and your mate strained. Only YEHOVAH
can open a person's mind and lead him or her to understand the importance of the true Sabbath day
(John 6:44, 65).

You should keep the Sabbath, but don't preach to other members of the family. You should
certainly tell them, if they ask, why you don't do certain things on the Sabbath. But let it go at that.

Be very careful when dealing with your children -- especially teen-agers. By the time a
youngster reaches his teens, he has a personality and a mind of his own. Don't suddenly inform him
that he can't go to school on the Sabbath day, when it falls during the week. He is liable to feel that
you are unreasonably curtailing his freedom and lowering his image amongst his peers -- and he
may resent it.

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