31 Days of His Wisdom - Day 29 - Child Rearing

source Microsoft Office.com

 Proverbs 29 today, and this verse caught my eye and my spirit:

¹⁷ Discipline your son, and he will give you rest;
    yes, he will be your delight.

G-d blessed me with two lovely children who were and are, to this day, my delight.

I thoroughly enjoyed the years they lived at home, and the problems I had with them were minimal.  I credit this to strong discipline, and to rearing them with Biblical values.  Yes, they were spanked, and they both turned out to be lovely women and are responsible adults.   

If you've ever been around children who are not well disciplined, you can get a great perspective on this verse.  I'm sure, like me, you've been in a department or grocery store and seen a little one running around like a wild animal, wrecking the store, screaming like a banshee, and making everyone around them miserable.  If you watch the parent, you will see one of two things:  they will either ignore the child or they will scream at him / her. Needless to say, neither of these two methods of child rearing work.  

On the other hand, I've seen a young mother with five children in tow.  They hold each other's hands, walk quietly together, and do exactly what their mother says, when she says it.  When I see this, I always speak to the parent and commend them for their child-rearing skills. 

I understand exceptions apply because of medical /mental issues, but for the most part, children misbehave because they can get away with it.  If they have firm boundaries, they will be happy and will make their parents happy, too.  

My children were both very strong-willed, and one much more so than the other.  My second daughter had to be disciplined over and over again for the same issues.  There were days I thought I would just give up, but I knew discipline includes consistency.  I'd go into my bedroom and cry and pray for strength to be firm and apply the discipline, even though I was ready to give in.  It paid off.  She eventually knew I meant business and that she would not have her way.  

I tell you this story to give you courage, young mothers.  Stand your ground and be firm because the book of Proverbs teaches over and over that discipline is important in child rearing.  Proverbs 22:15 says

Doing wrong is firmly tied to the heart of a child,
    but the rod of discipline will drive it far away from him.

and Proverbs 19:18 says:

  

Discipline your son while there is hope, and do not give in to his crying. (KJV)

The Complete Jewish Version says:  don't be so angry that you kill him.  

This is important.  I can remember being angry with my children, so be careful to give yourself time out to get your emotions under control before you discipline them.  They will cry.  They won't like being disciplined.  But, think it through, be consistent, and assure them of your love always.

I encourage you to read through Proverbs, making note of the verses that deal with how to discipline and rear children.  You will be amazed.  

Disciplining children is not easy, but it is worth it -  for you, as well as the child.  

^^^
Quotations are from The Complete Jewish Bible

Each time I read through Proverbs, something different jumps out at me.  This is ADONAI quickening His Word to my heart.  

As I go through this month of studying Proverbs, I hope you'll join me and read the chapter, too.  I'll share what stands out to me for that day.  

I'd love for you to share something He shows you through the day's reading. 
I'll be linking these posts to the 31 Days event at The Nester


This 31 day series will focus on the things I learned from Proverbs, as well as some things from Torah study, and will add in a sprinkling of what I've learned from Judaism. 

I will be posting daily through October 31.  To read the posts, just go to the Labels section on the left, and click on "31 Days of His Wisdom".