Home
Foundational Articles
Parenting
Marriage
Spiritual Growth
Images
Homeschooling
Contact Linda
Linda's Blog
Site Map
Reading Guides
E-books
Testimonies
  

CHRISTIAN PARENTING SERIES
PART I
PARENTING YOUNG CHILDREN

TRAINING IN OBEDIENCE

Call Your Child to Come to You

  1. Parenting Young Children Introduction
    • Establish Grace-Based Rules
      • Training in Obedience
      • Consequences for Disobedience
      • Example of Child Training
    • Develop the Tool of Home
      • Bringing Your Children Alongside You
      • The Beaver Story
    • Rejoice in Reality
    • A Conversation Between Two Moms
  2. Discipling Reasoning Children
  3. Releasing Steadfast Children
  4. Celebrating Established People of God

Establishing grace-based rules for your young children
should be geared to teach them two foundational principles:

HONOR

OBEDIENCE

A positive way to begin establishing honor and obedience is to train your young children to come to you when called. Practice with them.

TRAINING EXAMPLE

When my child was playing well and happily nearby or when we were working together in the kitchen or outdoors, I would say,

"Darlin', come to Mama," with a big smile and my arms outstretched.

When my dear one came, I would hug and kiss (parenting toddlers can be fun!) and say, "Oh, you darlin', you heard Mama's voice and you came when called. That's obedience! You’re honoring Mama!"

ADDRESS YOUR CHILD’S WILL

As my children grew in age and understanding (this time frame varies with each child; there is no right or wrong age to implement this), I taught them not only to come when called but to respond cheerfully with these words: "Yes, Mama, I will."

For example, when I would say, "Susie Q, come!" she would respond with, "Yes, Mama, I will" and then she would come.

This added response addressed the will of her soul. Being willing and obedient is so crucial as children grow.

Repeating this response each time she is called trains a child’s will.

MOM GROWS THROUGH PARENTING TOO

Throughout this training process when children are young, Mom also grows because Mom has to begin looking for opportunities to train in a positive way. She has to lay down her agenda/her life and consider the needs of her children (in this case, the need is child training) as more important than her own.

Mom begins to grow inside too, as she obeys the Lord's instruction to look outside her self-interests to the interests of her growing children. Instead of reacting to a crisis, Mom is being trained to become proactive.

But if mom is overly busy with other activities outside the home, she misses these opportunities for training her children and for God's training in her own life.

As you come alongside your children when they are young and as you learn to abide in the Lord and walk by the Spirit, your eyes will be open to the many opportunities you have during the day to call your children to come to you so you can bless them.

Of course, there will be a time when they willfully refuse to come. That’s when you can implement the next step of establishing a rule: setting consequences for willful disobedience.

It is so vitally important to learn to discern if a child is willfull or simply childish. A grace-based parenting mindset, coupled with abiding in the Lord, will give you the discernment you need for your particular circumstances.

But before faith came,
we were kept in custody under the law
being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed

Therefore the Law has become our tutor
to lead us to Christ.
~Galatians 3:23-24

Four-Part Series
Mom’s Growth While Raising Children
Links and Navigation Help

  1. Parenting Young Children
    My Child ~ His Child

  2. Discipling Reasoning Children
    Follow the Crowd? ~ Follow the Lord!

  3. Releasing Steadfast Children
    Stewarding My Child ~ Releasing His Child

  4. Celebrating Established People of God
    My Child Established ~ His Child Established



Top of this page

Return to Christian Parenting Articles Page

Return to Home Page


footer for parenting page