RAISING UP A DISCIPLINED CHILD

 Whatever you don't want your children to do, you must avoid.

 Reverend G. S.Adeyemo

Text: ‐"Discipline your son while there is hope, And do not desire his death." "Children are a gift from the LORD ; they are a reward from him. Children born to a young man are like sharp arrows in a warrior's hands. How happy is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates." Proverbs 19: 18; Psalm 17: 3‐5

Someone once said, “It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves, that will make them successful human beings”  Raising disciplined child could be a difficult effort especially for parents who assume that a child should know what is right from what is wrong. To raise a disciplined child is not only to set limits for children expecting them to obey without complaints. This is not saying we should leave our children to self discipline. This is because discipline is the foundation of happiness and the uttermost requirement for success. Child discipline is mostly external. No child has a grip  control of his or her impulse; therefore, they need parents that understand what it takes to raise a disciplined child. Let us consider few things that will help us raise a disciplined child.
1.Parents must be calm in inculcating discipline in their children. It takes patience and wisdom to handle children when it comes to discipline. Sometimes they tend to stretch our patience to the limit by repeating the errors we warned against. The Bible says, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”(Eph. 6: 4 NLT)
2.Parent must exemplify discipline they want   their children to imbibe. Children learn by imitations especially from their parents. Whatever you don't want your children to do, you must avoid.  Many kings in the Bible were ruined  because they followed the examples of their father. The Bible says, “Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.” Deut 4: 9; Joel 1: 3; Hebrews 12:7
3. Parent must reflect Christ‐like character that can point their children to God. Children are a gift from the LORD ; they are a reward from him. If the children must be raised in godly and disciplined way, the parent must always take them to Christ in prayer as well point God to them through their character. Parents must grow in the knowledge of Christ and the word of God. Then they will not be put to shame when  they are confronted their accusers at the city gates in Jesus name