The No. 1 Greatest Thing You Must Teach Your Children Before They Turn 13

One afternoon, I visited my uncle just to catch up. He was washing dishes, and as we talked, our conversation drifted from life in Manila to more serious topics—stories of young lives gone astray.

He shared that during his time in the city, he knew of children as young as 14 getting pregnant. Some of his neighbors spoke of teenagers imprisoned for drug use. Others had turned to stealing. We both paused, saddened by the direction so many young lives had taken.

Then I told him something that’s been on my heart for years:

The greatest thing children must learn at home before they turn 13 is the Ten Commandments.

If only more parents knew this truth and taught it early, children would be equipped with a moral compass rooted in God’s Word.

The commandments are not just rules—they are a guide for living, a shield for the heart, and a source of wisdom. When children know them, they are more likely to be accountable—to themselves, to their parents, and most importantly, to God.

Here’s what the Ten Commandments teach our children:

1. Stealing is wrong. They’ll understand that taking what isn’t theirs is not just illegal—it’s dishonoring to God.

2. Murder is a grave sin. Life is sacred, and hurting others, even in thought, is not something to take lightly.

3. Envy is dangerous. Coveting what others have plants seeds of bitterness and dissatisfaction. It begins in the mind and takes root in the heart.

4. Honor your parents. Respect and obedience bring blessings. A long, fruitful life often starts with honoring those who raised you.

5. (Combined earlier point) Adultery is not just a betrayal—it’s the breaking of a sacred promise. Faithfulness in relationships starts with understanding God’s standard for love and loyalty.

6. Keep the Sabbath holy. One day a week, stop. Rest. Worship. Spend time with God and His people. It’s a gift that brings peace, perspective, and renewal.

7. Don’t lie. Lying is not harmless—it’s destructive. Bearing false witness is a sin with serious consequences.

8. Put God first. No idols. No other gods. Teach them that God is a jealous God—not in the human sense, but in the way a loving parent fiercely protects what is good for their child. Generational blessings or curses often begin with the choices we make today.

9. Repentance is necessary. If our ancestors sinned, we must ask for forgiveness—not just for ourselves, but so our children won’t carry the weight of past sins.

10. Above all—love God with all your heart. If children learn this, everything else will follow. Love leads to obedience, and obedience leads to blessing.

    
    

These are found in Exodus 20:1–17. While Jesus later summarized them into two great commandments—love God and love your neighbor—we must still teach the Ten Commandments in detail. Each one holds a lesson, a protection, and a promise.

Plant these truths in your child’s heart before they become a teenager. Let them be engraved in their memory. When you are not there to guide them, God’s Word will be.

They will know what is right, even when faced with hard decisions. And you, as a parent, will have peace. You’ll know that wherever they go, they are not alone. God goes with them—His truth written on their heart.

As Proverbs 9:10 says: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding.”

Let’s raise wise children, not just smart ones. Let’s raise children who know God—not just know about Him.

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