Think a minute…Even if your child goes to an excellent school, the most important school your child will ever attend is in your own home. By far, you are the most important teacher your child will ever have. That is why we parents need to follow wise guidelines as we teach our children each day both by our example and our explanations of how to live the right, best way. 

First, make sure your child knows the rules. It is not fair to hold our kids responsible for rules they do not even understand. It is our job to clearly explain the rules of our home to our children, so they will understand why and how these rules work to help them become happy, honest, loving and responsible adults. 

Second, if your child disobeys and breaks the rules, then you must correct them with loving, consistent discipline. Our children need to learn that in real life they will experience natural, negative consequences of their own wrong choices and behavior. Often young kids will push and test our authority, so we must be consistent for them to learn to respect not only our authority, but also other authorities in life.

Third, as parents we must be able to know the difference between our child disobeying us rebelliously and when it is just their childish ways that are normal for their age. Sometimes they are just being kids, so we need to patiently and gently teach them to keep learning to be better. But if they keep choosing to be selfish and disobey, then they may need to be lovingly disciplined and experience the natural, negative consequence.

Fourth, soon after you have corrected and disciplined your child, it is important that you comfort them and show them how much you love them. It is important that you hug or hold them and explain the reason they were punished, so they know you still always love and accept them, even if you do not always approve of their attitude and behavior.

Fifth, don’t demand impossible things from your children, or punish them for accidents they cannot always control, such as spilling their drink, wetting their bed, etc. Also, if your child does not have the ability to do well in academics and school, then you should not unfairly demand it from them. We parents do terrible, sometimes lifelong, harm and damage to our child’s heart and life that way. Help your child discover and develop his or her natural abilities, so they can make the most of their own special strengths and assets to reach their potential.

Finally, always let love be your guide. We parents will make mistakes, since we ourselves are humans still maturing and learning to become better parents. So we need to ask our kids and our Creator to forgive us when we fail them. Each day ask Jesus to fill and teach you His love, patience and wisdom so you can teach your children well in your school called “home”. Just think a minute…