Have you ever heard this statement?  Maybe parents don’t voice their opinion out loud about not liking their children but you can see it in their faces.  They scream at, talk down to and frown when speaking to their children.  Their children in return are unruly, loud, obnoxious, disrespectful and rude.  No one likes being around these kids, including their own parents.  Sure they “love” their children  –  they just don’t like them.

Although it’s rare, there are even days that my children are not very likable.  On these days they might fuss and fight with each other, wake up grouchy, or be disobedient and dishonoring.  I could throw my hands up and say, “Oh well, kids will be kids.”   Or, I could point my fingers at the person to blame  –  me!  It’s my job as a parent to train my children.  My children’s behavior is a direct reflection of my training.  A parent will reap what they sow.  A two year old who is a terror without intervention will become a 12 year old terror.  And no one thinks that is cute.  “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.”  (Pro 29:15)

When I allow my children to disobey me I’m training them to grow up to disobey God.  A child that is rebellious towards authority will grow up to be rebellious towards the ultimate Authority.  If I say, “  Come here!  1…2…3….”  I’m training my child to be disobedient.  I’m saying to them by my actions, “It’s ok to not obey me the first time.”  When I accept delayed obedience I’m training them to be dishonoring.  It’s takes a lot of work to train a child.   It is a work in progress.  A parent who is following the Biblical guidelines will have to daily train and teach their children.  When we fail to sow good seeds we automatically sow bad seeds.

As parents, Dana and I have talked about our goals in raising our children.  Our greatest desire is to train our children to grow up to be adults who please the Lord.  We want them to become adults who walk by God’s standards.  We want them to live in obedience.  There is no greater joy than that!  As our Heavenly Father, God never lowers His standards.  God never compares His children to the world’s children.  God shows mercy and is always just.  He is constantly training and those He loves He chastens.  And, He never throws His hands up in the air and says, “Oh well, children will be children.”