Proverbs 19 - Disciplining children

Yes, I am back... for those of you who were following this daily, I apologize for the weeklong silence - we took a needed R and R trip to San Diego with the Chmieleski family. And it was wonderful! I really enjoyed hanging out, playing cards, swimming in the pool (ocean was about 33° F!) and going to Sea World. My kids favorite was a night at Dave and Busters, an INCREDIBLE video arcade that has all the latest and greatest games. Good times, and good memories.

I am caught up on my Proverbs reading, and will be catching up here online with you all as quickly as I can. From Proverbs 19, verse 18 hit me:

Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death. (Proverbs 19:18, NIV).

I know there has been a lot written about disciplining children, and it is not my intention to enter into a wild discussion about spanking here. However, biblically, disciplining and punishing children FOR THEIR GOOD is a common theme. Never is abusing, beating, or excessively carrying out anger condoned. Never is punishing a child because you are angry and need to lash out at them acceptable.

However, it is also not okay biblically to simply "reason" with a child. Children are not "reasonable" in the sense that you can rationally communicate truth to them. They need clear, loving, and certain boundaries. One thing my principal told me when I was an eighth grade teacher I have never forgotten. He said, "It is not the severity of the punishment, it is the certainty of it." That has been my philosophy with my kids since then. Kids do not need severity, but loving, certain, clear boundaries.

This proverb even goes so far as to say that if you don't provide these boundaries, you are contributing to him or her becoming a fool, and you become a "willing party to his death." Wow!

Trike