The Ten Commandments for Black Parents
1) Thou shall create strong families that nurture, educate and protect children, and thou should maintain good relationships with the children's mother or father even if thou have parted, for the sake of the children.
2) Thou shall talk to thy children and attend to their spiritual needs, moral development and ethical training.
3) Thou shall put the education of thy children first before all other worldly things and thou shall find suitable extracurricular developmental activities for thy children.
4) Thou shall take thy children to the library or bookstore regularly, help them make good reading selections, listen to them read to you, and read to them at home.
5) Thou shall teach thy children to earn, manage, save and invest money, and to consider entrepreneurship as a viable career option.
6) Thou shall make sure that all of the health needs of thy children are met daily including providing thy children with three nutritious meals a day.
7) Thou shall correct the wayward thoughts and behaviors of thy children, and thou shall keep thy children away from bad influences and negative peer pressures.
8) Thou shall screen and control magazines, books, video games, television, radio, internet and all other media influences of thy children.
9) Thou shall encourage thy children to attend college.
10) Thou shall join The Black Star Project’s League of Black Parents or other effective parent support and education support associations (for more information please call The Black Star Project at 773.285.9600).
(Created by The Black Star Project’s Illinois Black Parent’s & Educators Association – September 5, 2003)
