Tuesday, October 27, 2009

training children

I looked up one day and suddenly realized my two young children are out of control. I mean, they always have been a little unruly and I just chalked it up to "boys will be boys". Well, now I believe that it should be chalked up to permissive parenting. This is the week. The turning point. I have reread a couple of books. One is Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson and the other is What the Bible Says About... Child Training by J. Richard Fugate. I need prayers this week as I deal with trying to undo years of bad training. When it gets to this point it feels like all I am doing is disciplining. I feel mean. I must remember the heart is deceptive and I can only rely on God's word, which is clear on child discipline.

I wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother. Proverbs 10:1

The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother. Proverbs 29:15

My prayer today is for God to help me have the endurance I need to correct these behavior problems in my children. I know if I don't teach them to obey their parents now, they will have a harder time obeying the Lord when they are older.