I remember an incident where the children, some of whom were teenagers mistakenly spoilt the knob of the television set they had in the living room. Furious and determined to punish the children, this man stormed into the parlour, disconnected the television and locked it up in his room as punishment to his children.
I found the matter hilarious when it was brought to us and promptly counseled the man to return the television set to the living room. Oppressing a household is very different from ensuring discipline.
This is where many fathers and mothers get it wrong. They believe that they are enforcing discipline and instilling life values into their children whereas the children see their parents as oppressors. Through our years of marriage counseling, I have lost count of the number of children that have walked through my office doors believing the very worst of their parents. As a matter of fact, many children have told me how wicked and cruel their parents are, but the irony of it is that the parents hardly ever know what their children think of them.
How can you ensure your children genuinely love and respect you even when you discipline them? The answer is found in the golden rule given by our Lord Jesus; “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.” (Luke 6:31)
How would you have wanted to be disciplined when you were the age of that child? It is not enough to dish laws and appropriate punishments; there should be a place for understanding the feelings of the child being parented. Love you!
