What does the Bible say about parenting?
Psalm 127:3-5a NIV
Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
Japan Story
Ephesians 6:1-4 NIV
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Children need to learn to obey.
“Because I said so …” is a perfectly fine explanation. ?
God gives us parents in order to “soften and bend our minds to the habit” of obedience (John Calvin)
Moms and dads need to be honorable.
Every home needs a few consistent rules.
Kids need clear, fair rules and consistent consequences.
The best way to teach our children boundaries is to have healthy boundaries ourselves and model them in our homes.
Boundaries keep us safe.
By observing teachers and their students on a playground surrounded by a fence, and on a comparable playground with no fence, the researchers found a striking difference in how the children interacted in the space.
On playgrounds without fences, the children tended to gather around the teacher, and were reluctant to stray far from her view. On playgrounds that were fenced in, however, they ran all around the entire playground, feeling more free to explore.
The researchers concluded that with a boundary, in this case a fence, children felt more at ease to explore the space.
Do not exasperate your children.
Be consistent. Be clear. Be the mature one.
Kids need adults who are committed to adulting.
Parents are called to influence outcomes, not control outcomes.
Words are powerful.
Proverbs 12:18 NIV
“Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Story of “Wait until they are teenagers.”
