A Biblical Approach to Early Childhood Discipline

Just wanted to share something with you all.  As I have mentioned before, once the kids are nestled all snug in their beds at night sometimes I finish folding laundry, mopping the kitchen floor, etc. and I like to listen to messages while I am doing these chores.

I have been listening to FamilyLife Today's Dennis and Barbara Rainey give sound biblical wisdom on raising children.  They have 6 grown children of their own and have been in the thick of raising children.  This couple really encouraged me as I listened to them talk about some of the very challenges that I am currently facing. 

 You really should listen to the message on your own but I wanted to share some of the golden nuggets that really stuck with me:

• I really liked their suggestion of sitting down with your spouse and each of you coming up with 10 things that are most important in raising your children.  After each of you come up with your Top 10 then come together and agree on the Top 5 that you both agree are important.   
• Dennis Rainey gave the scripture Hebrews 12:5-11 and explained that after he would discipline once of his children he would read them this verse.  I LOVE this idea and want to work on memorizing this passage of scripture: 5And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
• Barbara explained connection with that they modeled the correction that the gave their children after God's discipline of Adam and Eve in the garden.with how they disciplined their own children. 

They have several messages that look very good.  I think that it is very profitable to glean from those that have gone through the very same things that I am going through.  Hopefully you will enjoy them too!