Discipline is a word that evokes a variety of emotions in people. It is the fear when you got in trouble. It is the “Charlie Brown” lecture that falls to deaf ears. It is the frustrated mom at her wit’s end. It is the time-out or spanking. It is a memory of a raging parent. As parents, if we dig deeper into our hopes for our children, we can reinterpret…
[This post is Part 2 of a 2-part series on Help Me God As I Discipline.] In our previous discipline post, we discussed the building blocks of discipline based on a foundation of CONNECTING, TRUST & AUTHORITY. The next level involves STRUCTURE and LIMITS. Children need to know the routine and rules. Structure encourages positive behavior and helps a child avoid negative behavior. It gives children the freedom to move…
[This post is Part 1 of a 2-part series on Help Me God As I Discipline.] When we watched the Winter Olympics, it was easy to “oooh” and “aaah” at these athletes’ incredible speed, form, strength, and grace. Their talent is inspiring! They make the most difficult moves look effortless. And perhaps there is a little Olympian in each of us thinking, “I wish I could do that!” We all…
Dear Joyce, I have three children, and it seems like I am always repeating myself. They keep disobeying me, and the older they get, the more out of control our lives seem to be. What punishment should I give them so they stop disobeying? Sabrina Dear Sabrina, Discipline is a training process that involves setting boundaries and enforcing the boundaries with the ultimate goal of your child having self-discipline. Your…
