A striking image captures the raw and untamed reality of life—a leopard carrying a baboon in its jaws.

The predator has claimed its prize, ready to take it to its cubs.

But there, clutching onto its mother’s lifeless body, is a baby baboon.

Fear fills its tiny eyes, yet it refuses to let go.

This powerful photograph, taken by Basque photographer Igor Altuna, speaks volumes.

It forces us to reflect on a profound truth: A child follows its parent.

Wherever you lead them, they will go.

Whether you walk them into safety and security or into pain and destruction, they will cling to you.

As a marriage counsellor, I see this reality play out in homes every day.

Children absorb the environment around them, mirroring the relationships they witness.

They don’t choose the world they are born into, but they are shaped by it.

The question is—what kind of world are you creating for them?

Are they growing up in a home filled with love, patience, and stability?

Or are they navigating a landscape of tension, anger, and neglect?

Do they see respect between their parents, or do they see conflict that leaves them anxious and uncertain?

Are they learning healthy ways to communicate and resolve differences, or are they internalizing harmful cycles that they will carry into their own relationships one day?

Too often, children are caught in the crossfire of marital struggles.

Some are exposed to violence, harsh words, or indifference.

Others are left alone, placed behind screens to give parents their ‘free time.’

Many become afterthoughts instead of priorities.

But here’s the truth: Children don’t need perfect parents; they need present ones.

They need parents who choose to lead them toward stability, security, and love.

Marriage is not just about the couple—it is about the family it creates.

The way partners treat each other lays the foundation for how children understand relationships, self-worth, and emotional security.

If you’re struggling in your marriage, know that getting help isn’t just for you.

It’s for your children, too.

As parents, we have a choice.

We can lead our children toward growth, healing, and joy.

Or we can unintentionally drag them into chaos, teaching them patterns they may spend a lifetime unlearning.

So, where are you leading your children?

If your home feels like a battlefield, if your marriage is filled with strain, if your children are witnessing patterns that you wouldn’t wish for their future, I encourage you to seek help.

Change is possible.

Healing is possible.

And the choices you make today can set your children on a path toward a better, brighter future.

They will follow you—so lead them well.