- A loving relationship with your child is more important than obedience.
- Obedience comes from a loving relationship - not the other way around.
- Disobedience is our child's problem, not our - so there's no need to be upset or angry.
- It's all about choices. Giving our child choices, gives them power over their lives.
- Consequences (Good & Bad) must be part of making choices. Don't take away the consequences if you want your child to learn and grow.
- Love casts out fear. Fear has to do with punishment.
- Children should be given ample opportunity to fix their own messes.
If I look at each of these things and think about my relationship with Jesus, it makes all the sense in the world. We are God's example to our children. Our disobedience does not change Him or make Him lose His patience or His cool or make Him love us any less. He just makes sure we experience some consequences in order to "discipline" us. God gives us the choice to love Him or not; to obey Him or not; to live a life of love...or not.
It is an interesting book. I'll have to read through it again soon and perhaps order some of his other resource material.
Blessings, Juan
3 comments:
Wow. I think I'm going to pick up this book immediately! I don't have kids of my own but I work with children and families and think it would be helpful to have this in my "toolbox".
Great applications for us and our relationship as God's kids.
Sounds good. I'll have to look into that one.
If you liked that one, you'd likely also like an ollllllld Tim Kimmel book, called Legacy of Love. A very "intentional parenting" focused book on raising a godly home. Oldie, but goodie.
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