God gives 3 main instructions to our children: obey, honor and respect your parents.
Here are some things to instill while your children are young.
1. Teach your children to obey the first time without delay, without distraction and without complaint.
2. Have your children look you in the eyes when you are giving instruction. This way you know that they hear you and they hear clearly what you are saying.
3. Have them repeat back your instruction.
4. Keep tuned into mom and dad’s voice. Practice by sending them to another room and calling their name. The goal is that when they hear you call their name they will come right away. They think this is a fun game but you are training them in obedience.
5. Practice in moments of non conflict the behaviors your child needs to work on. For example if your child needs to work on staying at your side when you are in a store, practice at home by pretending you are in a store and have your child follow at your side while you put away laundry, cook dinner, ect.
6. When there is conflict among children, show them the right way to respond and then practice it the right way. When ever there is the opportunity to show your children the right response do it and then have them do it the right way. The younger they are you may have them do it multiple times.
7. Teach your children to ask forgiveness when they do something wrong. Teaching our children that when they do something wrong they are sinning points them to their need for the Savior. Teach them to say “ I was wrong when I __(took that out of your hand)__ that is __(selfish)____ will you forgive me?”
Reminders for Parents:
1. Praise your children in public and correct them in private.
2. Use soft words and kind actions when correcting your children.
3. When you are discouraged by the pattern of negative behavior in your children, remember our sin before the Lord and his grace and mercy to you each day.
4. Don’t forget to ask your children’s forgiveness when you sin against them or do not address their behavior they way that God wants you too.
5. See your children’s sin as an opportunity to train their hearts and not be discouraged. Thank God that their sin is exposed that you can help them.
6. Pray for wisdom to address behavior in such a way that will get to your child’s heart. Remember that behavior is just an outward sign that something in our heart is not right.
Next Week’s Author: Wendy Clark
Such Wise Tips! I really wish someone had shared these with me when my children were young. I had read about some of them in parenting books. The importance of them and how helpful they would be if you were consistent when your children are young was not something I completely grasped. Honor and Respect (not just obedience) are so important!! Trying to reach their heart with everything is key! Moms with young children, by putting these into consistent practice you will reap benefits as they get older!
Very helpful and practical. It's so important to work on heart correction instead of hurriedly dealing with problems.
Back to basics! I love the idea of calling your child from another room – making it a game
And the simple, day to day staying close while doing tasks at home. Thank you for your practical, Biblical wisdom.
Thank you all for the possitive feedback. I do pray that you will be encouraged in your journey as a parent. Even though these tips were titled for young children and bear the most fruit when you instill this when they are young the same truths apply as they get older. We are still practicing with our older children.
Bessings.
I agree. Role play is one of the training methods I use with the families I work with. Then, when the issue comes up in "real time" all you have to do is refer the children back to their practice session by asking a simple question like, "Remember our sharing practice?" It really works! Thanks for the tips.
What great tips! I love hearing advice for my little ones especially from such a wonderful mother! I still remember being so impressed with Isabel using the interrupt rule in the halls at church when she was so tiny!
Very true. It is so important to expect first time obedience. It takes a lot of work and energy but it will pay off in the end. If we do not expect this from our children and grandchildren then how can we expect them to give God first time obedience.