Discipline

Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. Proverbs 23:13
Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him. Proverbs 13:24
I am a Grandfather, my days of dealing with disciplining children is over. I never thought I would write about this but I was listening to a Grandson and a grandfather talk. I was doing safety detail and was just there listening. What caught my attention was this boy about 9 was talking with his Grandfather and Grandmother about punishment. If I understood correctly the 9 year old must have gotten in trouble in school. He was going to be punished for his misbehavior, what ever it was. I do not know the whole story. His choices were grounding or a whipping. The nine year old said he would rather have a whipping and get it over with. Grounding takes too long.  I have often thought whipping or spanking as I would call it was easier for that reason for both parent and child. A few minutes it over and we get back to living.  There are many more scriptures dealing with this subject but I believe these scriptures point out children need discipline, they need to know their boundaries. Parents are not their friend, and should not try to be. They are an authority figure to the child. they set the boundaries, not the child. I don't feel I was very good in this area with my children. My children had parents who were at odds with each other over discipline. One wanted to be their friend and the other had to do all the disciplining if it got done, at least that's how it seemed to me. Parents need to be together on discipline, they need to show a united front to their children. A child can wear down one parent, but if the parents stick together, they are like a two strand cord that is not easily broken.  I really thought this kid made a wise choice, not what I expected, but get the whipping and it is over quickly. Grounding seems to take too long. Either way discipline is meant to hurt, to get their attention. Not to harm but to teach. The Bible tells us not to spare the rod, the parent that loves his child is diligent and perhaps another word  I would use is consistent. I know in my marriage with my children's mother, we did not present a united front. We were at odds over many things, but especially discipline. This carries on to even the next generation and I think what we see in our world today is a lot of undisciplined children that have not learned to respect authority. The first authority in  child's life is their parent, and I think we train them for life. If they did not learn to respect authority at home, there will be trouble with authority at school, on the job and even in dealing with police. I believe God's word, given to us by our creator tells us to be diligent to discipline. He that spares the rod hates his son. I wish I had done better, not necessarily more but perhaps more consistent and I wish we as parents had been united on this front. I never thought I would write about this subject but watching that kid choose a whipping over grounding caught my attention.  God bless, LVZ

Proverbs 3:12
For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
Proverbs 22:15
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.

Proverbs 23:14
You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol.
Proverbs 29:15
The rod and reproof give wisdom, But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.