In the church I was taught that sexuality is a sacred thing and should only be explored by married couples. I associated love with married and hence arrived at the idea that love must come before sexuality. Over time my values surrounding sexuality have changed. The main point where I have deviated from what I was taught is sex before marriage. Until just a few years ago, I believed premarital sex to be against my values but as I have grown and experienced love as I understand it, so have my values changed. I may sound naive and fantastical to some but for me, sexuality should only be explored and initiated in love. .
Parenting.
My values surrounding the subject of parenting are very straightforward. If someone takes the action to become a parent, they should either accept full responsibility for the child or find someone who will. When someone becomes a parent I believe that they should be prepared to sacrifice their wants at times in order to provide for the child. A parent should be an example to their child, teaching and nurturing it throughout its lifespan. In teaching, a parent should enforce limits and create boundaries in order to show the child how to survive in relationships and life. Along with this a parent should embrace a child's weaknesses and should accept and love despite failures. Parenting to me means being present in a child's life above all else. No one can fill the void that an absent or inadequate parent creates. My values surrounding parenting also originated from my parents and Christian upbringing. Active parenting was constantly reinforced through not only their words but also their actions. One thing that has changed in my values as I have.
grown is my view on the use of daycare and after-school. Until recently I saw no problem with using it but after dealing with some personal issues regarding treatment in day-care, I now believe that if help is needed outside of the family, priority should be in finding a home environment in which to place the children when a parent is not available.