You have been blind to the power that the enemy had over your children. Household labor, even to weariness, would not have hurt them one-fiftieth part as much as indolent habits have done. They would have escaped many dangers had they been instructed at an earlier period to occupy their time with useful labor. They would not have contracted such a restless disposition, such a desire for change and to go into society. They would have escaped many temptations to vanity and to engage in unprofitable amusements, light reading, idle talking, and nonsense. Their time would have passed more to their satisfaction and without so great temptation to seek the society of the opposite sex and to excuse themselves in an evil way. Vanity and affectation, uselessness and positive sin, have been the result of this indolence. The parents, and especially you, the father, have flattered and indulged them to their great injury. {4T 97.4}

I har været blinde over for den magt som fjenden havde over jeres børn. Husligt arbejde, endda så de blev trætte, ville ikke have skadet dem en femtedel så meget som dovenskaben (98) ville have gjort. De kunne have undgået mange farer hvis de var blevet undervist tidligere om at bruge deres tid med nyttigt arbejde. De ville ikke have pådraget sig en så rastløs natur, et så stort ønske for forandring og for at komme i selskaber. De kunne have undgået mange fristelser for forfængelighed og unyttige fornøjelser, letfældig læsning, tom snak og vrøvl. Deres tid ville være gået mere med deres oprejsning og uden at fristes til det modsatte køns selskab og undskylde sig selv på en dårlig måde. Forfængelighed og påtagethed, unyttighed og direkte synd, har været følgen af denne ladhed. Forældrene og specielt jer, har snarere smigret og føjet dem til deres store skade.