Blessed is he who brings up children pleasing to God. St. Ephraim the Syrian (26:146).

As long as the soul is still capable of formation, tender and soft, like wax, and easily imprints images in itself, it must be immediately and from the very beginning awakened to good. When reason is revealed and reason comes into action, then the initial foundations will already be laid and models of piety will be taught. Then the mind will suggest useful things, and skill will facilitate success. St. Basil the Great (8:112).

Negligence about children is the greatest of all sins, it leads to extreme impiety (35:82).

It is not necessary to inspire fear in young people when they have become men, but to instruct and guide them from childhood. Then and later there will be no need for threats (35, 117).

We cannot deceive God, Who searches hearts, discovers everything, and makes us responsible for the salvation of children (35:124).

Good education does not consist in first allowing vices to develop, and then trying to expel them. We must take all measures to make our nature inaccessible to vices (35, 118).

If you have brought up your son perfectly, then he has brought up his son, and he has his, and it is as if a certain series of better lives will go forward, having received the beginning and root from you and bringing you the fruits of caring for your descendants (37:340).

Will... to instruct our children in such a way that they prefer virtue to everything else, and consider the abundance of wealth as nothing (38:713).

Parents will be punished not only for their own sins, but also for the pernicious influence on their children, whether they manage to bring them to the fall or not (35:111).

Это и расстраивает всю вселенную, что мы не радим о собственных детях; заботимся об их имуществе, а душою их пренебрегаем, что является крайним безумием (37, 336).

Нам нет извинения, если дети у нас развращены... (35, 87).

Если бы отцы тщательно воспитывали своих детей, то не было бы ни судилищ, ни наказаний (37, 340).

Не будем заботиться о том, чтобы собрать богатство и оставить его детям; будем учить их добродетели и просить им благословение от Бога. Вот это, именно это-величайшее неизреченное сокровище, неоскудевающее богатство, с каждым днем приносящее все больше даров (38, 712).

Не одно рождение делает отцом, но хорошее образование; не ношение во чреве делает матерью, но доброе воспитание (38, 781).