A little while ago (last year!) we enjoyed being in Kirkland for their all-day-meeting. The Adult Sunday School Class was very sobering for me and the things said could be very helpful for young parents. Hopefully, they listened because it's not too late for them. The reading took up Ephesians 5 and child rearing.There are at least four or five things to remember in raising children.
1. Do not discipline in anger (I often put my children "in ward" until I could figure out what to do with them and until I could simmer down. "In ward" was their bedrooms.)
2. Don't "roast" the brethren. (Criticism of the people you really do love is deadly).
3. Be in agreement as parents. Forbid them from playing one against the other.
4. Have rules with relationship. The kids need to know that there is love behind the rules and that they are not arbitrary.
5. Let the children know that ultimately they have to do with God and are responsible to Him.
Well, that about does it for me. I feel slain.
4 comments:
I fully agree with all you listed, and feel slain too, but the best advice I ever got was to " Sanctify the saints in the eyes of your children."(your #2 rule). This helps them grow up with a genuine affection for the saints, which in turn helps them to respect the things they hear from them. We all fail at times at living by the truths we know, but if we have it as a goal we will do better than if we don't make it a desired practice in our lives.
I enjoy your remarks even when I don't comment.
Pat
Hi Aunt K! I recently found this blog of yours and wanted to tell you that I really enjoy each post. Thanks for doing it!
Very good. I have often seen children fall-away because of constant negative diatribes at home. I myself am exercised to never accept a condemnation, or make a judgement, without two (or three) witnesses. It is so hard to do especially if I WANT to believe (and enjoy) the 'roasting'.
I didn't know you had this blog too! (I'm a little behind the times and guess don't read others' blogs as often as I used to!) I like these thoughts on parenting. Good advice, but I too have failed on every account. Indeed sobering.
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