31 Days: Day 10

The Discipline of Training your Children

I have 2 little boys, my firstborn will be 3 in November and my 2nd just turned 13 months today.  These two precious little men of God could not be more different in every aspect of the word.  I am learning that the parenting adventure is different with each child - and it's vital to recognize and adapt to each child's temperaments, strengths, and weaknesses.  

Think of yourself as a sculptor shaping and molding the lives of your young ones. With each child, you may be working with a different medium. You could be endeavoring to form one youngster who appears to be as hard as marble. As an artist, you might use a chisel, hammers, even water, while sculpting your masterpiece. You may have another child who is more pliable, like clay. Even then, as a potter, you might use fire, a knife, and your bare hands. It doesn't matter what substance you're working with, be it wood, ice, bronze, wax, sand, steel, or foam. Each raw material requires a distinct combination of tools to strike the balance between respecting its uniqueness and steadfastly pursuing the potential beauty within.

Part of the definition of discipline is training and I want to train my kids.... I don't want to force them to submit to my will.  Really I don't want to raise obedient children.  Of course I want my children to do what I say.  But not because they are obedient, meaning they always do what someone bigger tells them.  No, I want them to do what I say because they trust ME, because I am the parent and have their best interest at heart.  I want to raise children who have self-discipline, who take responsibility, and are considerate--and most importantly, have the discernment to figure out when to trust and be influenced by someone else.  Forcing a child to obey is simply breaking their will and leaving them open to the influence of others that often will not serve them.  Also it is a betrayal of the spiritual contract we make as parents to nurture our children's unique gifts.  

Proverbs 22:6 says, "Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it." I am an ever-learning parent who needs grace as I mold and train my boys to be mighty men of God!