Christian Parenting Series
Part 2, Discipling Reasoning Children |
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”The fruit of discipline
is an increased skill
that you will love to use.”
I’ve repeated this principle to my children, year after year—often during deskwork and also during times of skill development.
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I liken one of my sons to “Tigger” from Winnie-the-Pooh, although some may label him ADD/ADHD. He’s bouncy, trouncy, flouncy—Tiggery.
When he found something extremely difficult to grasp, I would repeat the “fruit of discipline” principle to him; and he would often say, "I never want to use this skill.”
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Of course, after that comment we had a lot of discussion!
At times it was overwhelming for me to parent him through the same skill-development or self-control issues over and over, wondering if there would ever be any fruit.
In 2006, I began teaching him to play the piano, and there were a few times where he became very frustrated because he couldn't grasp a new concept.
I repeated the principle, “The fruit of discipline is an increased skill that you will love to use.”
One morning about a year after he began the piano lessons, he was playing some hymns from a duet book that he and I can play together.
He called me over to play with him before breakfast, and so of course I did.
We were playing a simple version of "Amazing Grace" together (and I started crying, hearing him play so well). Then we played some more hymns.
He stopped, kissed me, and said through a beaming smile, "Playing the piano is so fun."
I responded, "The fruit of discipline is an increased skill that you will love to use."
It was like the light bulb went off in his head, and he smiled and hugged me.
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Thank You, Lord, for the fruit of discipline in my life,
as You have helped me to continue to persevere through parenting even when it seemed fruitless.
Help each of us moms to see the buds, even though we want the fruit,
and to praise You while we are waiting.
Give us patience to wait on You to cause the growth and keep us faithful, as You are,
to continue to
sow the seeds, water, weed, wait,
and finally enjoy the promised fruit if we do not grow weary.
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Lord,
Help moms to see that the discipline they are working into their children’s lives parallels the discipline You are working into their own lives.
All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful;
yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
~Hebrews 12:11
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Other articles in this Discipling Reasoning Children series:
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