Since we have three unregenerate sinners in our household, we have conflict. Yes, we’re attempting to teach them to share, show love for each other, and humbly put the other first. God’s standard is not what is fair, but what is humble and loving. But in spite of our efforts, they still struggle. They’ve learned [...]
Filed under: Using Questions
On Tuesday we talked about the challenge of developing Christ-honoring relationships while in a military community. Today I want to think about how my obedience to God in this area affects how I parent my children. First, my children learn about friends by my example. They are listening to what I talk about with my [...]
Filed under: Friends, Using Questions
Today I asked David what he learned in children’s church. Try as I could, I could not get an answer out of him. I asked him whether he was being a wise listener. He insisted he listened, but he could not remember a single detail about what happened. It is possible that fatigue had something [...]
Filed under: Attention, Using Questions
One of the questions we ask our children is “Are you going to obey?” This question clarifies that the command is not an optional wish the parents are making, something especially important with very young children. It emphasizes that obedience is a choice, and it communicates my desire for the child to do right. Some [...]
Filed under: Obedience, Using Questions
A typical four year old asks questions, often constantly ad nauseum. My children ask questions, too, but most of the time I’m finding that they keep their questions to themselves. Some parents don’t like questions and discourage their children from asking them. If I discourage questions, it’s because I take them too seriously. Maybe I [...]
Filed under: Using Questions
Am I the Holy Spirit to my children? I asked Lee this question yesterday as we made the long drive to Carlsbad. His answer was, No, the Holy Spirit can do His job just fine without us. He’s right, I think. I don’t see any evidence in the Bible of this role for parents. Maybe [...]
Filed under: Using Questions
I’ve noticed that none of the good child rearing manuals tell you what you should do when the best instructions don’t go according to script. We might be tempted to grow frustrated with the incomplete instruction, but that wouldn’t be wise, would it? I felt this frustration yesterday. I know that asking questions is a [...]
Filed under: Using Questions
I think each personality has certain challenges that come with it. One of the challenges of my quiet (articulate, but quiet) child is keeping him talking. We discovered recently that David is more than willing to talk at night to keep mom or dad in his bedroom. Maybe his reluctance to go to sleep was [...]
Filed under: Using Questions
Today the kids and I visited a church without Lee, who’s working a twelve hour shift today. It was probably the scariest thing I’ve done so far. Everything else basically has taken just a little more time, but once two kids are strapped into the stroller, life is a lot easier. After Sunday school, I [...]
Filed under: In the Car and on the Go, Using Questions
Lee and I were discussing tattling the other night. He mentioned that there are other motivations besides anger for tattling. For example, some children tattle simply because they have a sense of justice (i.e., I cannot allow anyone else to do anything wrong). If you know a child who has Asperger’s Syndrome, you have probably [...]
Filed under: Getting Along, Using Questions
