Which are the most important duties of parents to their children according to the Holy Scripture?

The first duty of parents to their children is to love them (Titus 2: 4). Children need to be born out of love and be desired by both husbands, and not to be born out of sin, pleasure or by chance.

The second duty of parents is to teach their children the law of God (Deuteronomy 4:9-10; Psalms 77; Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:4). Parents need to teach their children about Christianity and to fear God (Genesis 18:19, Psalms 33:11, Proverbs 1:7). They have the duty to tell their children about the wonderful things of God from the holy books (Exodus 13:14-15, Joshua 4:6; Psalms 43:1).

Parents need to teach their children about obedience (Proverbs 4: 3-4; 1 Timothy 3:4), to bless them (Genesis 48:15-16; Hebrews 11:20), to sympathise with their children (Psalms 192:11-13) to soothe and advise them (1 Thessalonians 2:11), to guide them (1 Timothy 3, 4, 12), to scold them (1 Kings 2:23-24), to punish them when needed (Deuteronomy 8:5; Proverbs 3:12; 13:24; 19:18, 22:15; 23:13-14, Hebrews 12:7, 9-10) to avoid making them angry (Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21) to fulfil their needs (Proverbs 13:22, Matthew 7:9-11; Luke 11:11-13; 2 Corinthians 12:14; 1 Timothy 5:8).

Parents have the duty to pray for their children, for their wisdom, spiritual growth and salvation (Genesis 17:18).

They have the duty to help them fight with temptations (Job 1:5) and with illness (2 Kings 12:16) to be a good example for their children (4 Kings 15:3) and teach them from an early age (Proverbs 22:6) about the good deeds and Christian love according to the Holy Gospel.

Then, they need to entrust them to a good spiritual father.

(Translation from: Arhimandrit Ilie Cleopa, Îndrumări duhovnicești pentru vremelnicie și veșnicie. O sinteză a gândirii Părintelui Cleopa în 1670 de capete, Editura Teognost, Cluj-Napoca, 2004, pp. 52-53)