Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists

exclusive right of either Adam or Eve, so neither
was parenthood. The latter was also to be a shared
responsibility. And so it should be now, not only in
the bearing of children but also in the rearing of
them. Each parent has certain responsibilities, and
they are to be carried out as to the Lord. "Lo,
children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of
the womb is his reward" (Ps. 127:3, KJV).
Children
1. A priority
Other than their commitments to the Lord and
their spouses, parents have no higher responsibility
than to the children that they have brought into the
world. They must put their children's interests
before their own advancement and comfort; the
children did not choose to come into the world, and
they must be given the best possible start in life.
Since prenatal influences vitally affect one's
spiritual, mental, and physical health, making the
child's welfare a priority should begin even before
birth.[22]
834