By Honor Wilder, Rooted In Liberty

There’s a saying I once heard an old rancher mutter under his breath, somewhere between church service and Sunday supper:

“The world don’t need more well-behaved children. It needs more well-raised ones.”

That stuck with me.

In a culture quick to hand out tablets instead of values, discipline instead of discernment, and praise without purpose—raising a child with a strong spine and a tender heart has become nothing short of a revolutionary act. But for those of us rooted in liberty, that’s exactly what we’re called to do.

We’re not raising lambs to follow the herd.
We’re raising lions who know when to roar, and when to kneel and pray.

The Great Unlearning

Before we teach our children, we first have to unlearn some things ourselves.

We’ve been conditioned to believe success is defined by GPA scores, Instagram followers, or Ivy League acceptance letters. But the real test of character happens when no one’s watching:

• Will they tell the truth, even when it costs them?

• Will they defend the weak, even if it makes them unpopular?

• Will they love the Lord, even when the world mocks them for it?

These are the questions that matter. These are the roots we must tend.

Discipline Over Devices

There’s no shortcut to raising strong children. It takes time. It takes truth. It takes uncomfortable conversations and consistency when you’re dead tired.

The world tells us to give our kids what they want.
God calls us to give them what they need.

That means limits. That means lessons. That means leading by example, not outsourcing your influence to an iPad.

It might look like fewer playdates and more chores.
It might mean choosing a family Bible study over sports practice.
It definitely means being the “mean” mom or dad from time to time.

But here’s the truth: our kids aren’t meant to fit in. They’re meant to stand out.

The Legacy of the Kitchen Table

The heart of the home isn’t the TV room—it’s the kitchen table.

That’s where trust is built. That’s where stories are told. That’s where values are planted and watered daily. And it’s where we teach our children that faith and freedom begin in the home—not at the ballot box, not at the schoolhouse, not even at church.

Start small. One meal a day with no screens. One moment to ask, “What are you grateful for?”
One prayer, said aloud, with hands held tight.

These small rhythms become deep roots.

Tools for the Task

At Rooted In Liberty, we know parenting today can feel like swimming upstream. That’s why we’ve created resources not to entertain, but to equip:

• Faith-Based Family Planners to keep values at the center of your schedule

• Constitutional Study Packets to raise kids who know their rights

• Homestead Guides for families who want to trade screen time for soil time

• Printables & Devotionals to weave truth into the fabric of daily life

We aren’t just selling products. We’re passing down tools for legacy-building. And we believe every home can become a stronghold of truth and freedom.

The Call to Courage

The culture says, “Let them choose for themselves.”
God says, “Train them up in the way they should go.”

You have more influence than you think. More power than you’re told.
And more reason than ever to raise lions.

Not passive.
Not popular.
But powerful in Christ.