Parents are not thorough in the education of their children. They do not see the necessity of molding their minds by discipline. They give them a superficial education, manifesting greater care for the ornamental than for that solid education which would so develop and direct the faculties as to bring out the energies of the soul, and cause the powers of mind to expand and strengthen by exercise. The faculties of the mind need cultivation, that they may be exercised to the glory of God. Careful attention should be given to the culture of the intellect, that the various organs of the mind may have equal strength by being brought into exercise, each in its distinctive office. If parents allow their children to follow the bent of their own minds, their own inclination and pleasure, to the neglect of duty, their characters will be formed after this pattern, and they will not be competent for any responsible position in life. The desires and inclinations of the young should be restrained, their weak points of character strengthened, and their overstrong tendencies repressed. {3T 25.2}

Forældre er ikke grundige i deres børns opdragelse. De ser ikke nødvendigheden af at forme deres sind ved disciplin. De giver dem en overfladisk uddannelse, viser (26) større omsorg for smykker end for den solide uddannelse som vil udvikle og styre evnerne så sjælens energi kommer frem og får sindskræfterne til at udvides og styrkes ved brug. [forstandsevnerne må udvikles, så de kan blive brugt til Guds ære. Udviklingen af intellektet bør vises omhyggelig opmærksomhed, for at de forskellige åndsevner kan få samme styrke ved at blive bragt i anvendelse på hver sin bestemte opgave. Hvis forældrene giver deres børn lov til at følge deres egne personlige lyster, deres egne tilbøjeligheder og ønsker, så pligterne forsømmes, vil deres karakter blive formet efter dette mønster og de vil ikke blive egnede til nogen ansvarsfuld stilling i livet. De unges ønsker og tilbøjeligheder bør holdes i tømme, de svage punkter i deres karakter bør styrkes og alt for stærke tendenser bør holde nede.