Do not constantly warn or threaten. If every other sentence is a warning, then it tends to lose its punch or desired effect. I may choose to warn a child in a particular situation, but if I have already “laid down the law” about it, and if I have kept my word in the past about breaking rules, then the child will know that I mean what I say, without another warning.
Remember, children will remember how you deal with them. They will share such information with others. In later years, they will remind you of how you treated them. Perhaps keeping this in mind can help us avoid inappropriate responses.
Remember that God wrote the book on childrearing and disciplining children. His words should be the guidebook for Christian parents (2 Peter 1:3). No parent is smarter than God in any matter, especially in childrearing. Parents might bypass His Word and sometimes have well-behaved children, but how will God look at parents who disregard what He says?
Try to avoid administering discipline when extremely angry. When we are all worked up, we say rash words and take rash action. It is not a good practice to rush into discipline when our engine is overheated.
Take it seriously. How you rear and discipline your children will have a big influence on how they will rear and discipline their children. You could be setting the pace for generations to come.
A failure by parents to deal with children’s inappropriate behavior is a failure! Never forget the mistake of Eli (1 Samuel 2:29; 3:12–13).
Explain. As children grow and are able to understand, take time to explain why something is required, why it is right, or why it is wrong.
Avoid saying irresponsible things (“I’ll knock you into next week”).
Be consistent. That is easy to say but difficult to practice. Try to be consistent in matters of discipline from child to child and from case to case.
Evaluate yourself as a disciplinarian. How are you doing? Do you need to make any changes? What mistakes have you made, and what have you learned from them? Would it be helpful in some cases to admit those mistakes to the children, if they are old enough to remember and understand them?
“Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction.” – Proverbs 19:18
