If we give our children effective, Bible-based instruction, they will come to see how they have sinned. The next step is to encourage them to admit or confess their sin to us and to God. Even 3-year-old can say “I was wrong for disobeying”. Here’s why it’s important for our children to learn to confess their sin: 1. Our goal isn’t to merely change our children’s behavior. We’re teaching […]
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Why do we discipline? What is the point of our child-training efforts? It’s not ultimately about good behavior. It’s not about the convenience of having well-behaved children. It’s certainly not about giving out just deserts when children make mistakes. Our first goal as parents should be shepherding our children into their own personal, growing, relationship with God. As God’s representatives to our children during their early years, we’re part […]
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I hear crying coming from the family room, where my three and six-year-old children are playing. I’m sitting in my chair, reading a book, and I don’t really want to be interrupted. But I get up and go in. The struggling stops as I enter the room, and reddened, tear-streaked faces look up at me. “What is going on?” “He was pushing me!” “I had the tricycle first!” “But you […]
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We aren’t born knowing how to handle conflict. It’s not something we grow into either, like learning to walk or talk. I never could have imagined some of the things I’ve had to say to my preschoolers: “Don’t you know you can’t just take his toy because you want it?” “Do you really think hitting your sister is going to make her do what you want?” “If he’s yelling and […]
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Last week we considered what obedience looks like, and how our own example is an integral part of teaching our children. Today I want to look more closely at some tactics for teaching young children to obey. My children are still young (ages 1, 3, 4, and 6), and I’m thoroughly convinced that these early years are the prime time to be teaching obedience. (Next week, you’ll hear from my […]
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We recently considered why it’s easy to let our children disobey, and why teaching obedience is important. You all raised so many good questions that we’ve decided to spend several more posts working through the practical elements of teaching our children to obey. Today I want to define what I mean by obedience and then consider the first “strategy” for teaching our children to obey. In upcoming posts, Mama and […]
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Last week, we looked at some ways we can easily allow our children to disobey. This sparked some good questions, which will be addressed in next week’s post. Before we talk about teaching obedience, it’s important to consider why obedience is so important. Here, as in many aspects of Christian parenting, we should look to the example of our Heavenly Father. Why does God ask us to obey Him? How […]
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No parent wants disobedient children. But it’s surprisingly easy to let our children get away with disobedience. It’s easy to allow outward obedience accompanied by whining, complaining, or grumpy looks. It’s easy to allow a child to correct us, debate with us, or tell us how she will obey on her own terms. It’s easy to resort to cajoling, reasoning, manipulating, distracting or bribing. It’s easy to issue threats, give […]
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Sometimes I take care of the kids for a few hours while my wife goes out. Other times, when she’s sick, I step in to help do some of her work and keep the household running. That’s what I’ve been doing the past few days. How she ever has dinner ready AND the house clean when I come home at night, I don’t know. It never happens when I’m in […]
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As a dad of four children ages 1 to 5, sometimes I’m tempted to think these early years are unimportant. But I know that’s not true; the way we treat a child from age one to five will have a huge influence on how the rest of his childhood and his life will turn out. These early years of life are likely the most critical and formative ones. Here are […]
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