Children Are Watching – Lessons from Solomon’s Early Years

You know I’m an advocate for catching them young. That passion came alive again while I was studying the stories of Absalom, Adonijah, and Solomon.

While reading, I noticed how these events shaped Solomon’s early life.
Solomon was young, but he was learning.

The Abishag Incident

Remember the moment in 1 Kings 2.
Adonijah, David’s older son, went to Bathsheba and asked her to speak to Solomon on his behalf.
His request? The hand of Abishag the Shunammite, the young woman who had cared for David in his old age.

Scripture records that David never slept with Abishag, but she was part of the royal household.
When Adonijah asked for her as a wife, Solomon became furious.
He said in essence,
“Why stop there? You might as well ask for the kingdom, too.”
Then Solomon ordered Adonijah’s execution.

At first, I wondered,
“Why was Solomon so angry? What does marrying Abishag have to do with ruling the kingdom?”

Then I remembered the parallel with Absalom.
When Absalom rebelled against David, Ahithophel advised him to sleep with his father’s concubines publicly.
That act was a political statement.
It meant Absalom had usurped David’s authority and shamed his throne.
(See 2 Samuel 16:21–22)

So Adonijah’s request wasn’t innocent.
It was a subtle power move.
If he had married Abishag, it would have undermined Solomon’s legitimacy as king.

Solomon, even though young, had observed the earlier rebellion.
He understood the symbolism.
He recognised Adonijah’s plan and acted decisively to protect his throne.

Children Are Always Watching

Here’s the lesson for us:
Children are always watching and learning.

Solomon had watched his father’s life, his father’s failures and victories, and the politics of the palace.
By the time it was his turn to lead, he understood what was at stake.

The Bible says,

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” — Proverbs 22:6

Whatever you do around your children, they are watching.
They are learning values, habits, and responses.
You are an open book they are reading every day.

The Influence We Carry

I saw a video recently that illustrated this.
A little child was dancing and twerking while a woman watched with delight.
Someone remarked,
“That child didn’t go outside to learn that behaviour , she learned it at home.”

It was allowed.
It was modelled.
That’s how powerful our influence is.

Your children are learning.
Your children are seeing.
You are the book they are reading.