Great Parenting Resource

Yesterday at Malta, I spoke with the mother of an almost three-year-old little boy who is, by any description, all boy. He’s great: energetic, inquisitive, smart…spirited. He reminds me very much of my daughter at that age. Challenging, yet entirely enjoyable. If you have some of these little gems at your house and they make you a little crazy sometimes, may I recommend a parenting resource that worked well for my family (and still does): Winning at Parenting Without Beating Your Kids by Barbara Coloroso. Her basic philosophy is that, through the use of natural and logical consequences, it is possible to help your children develop an inner discipline that will work to reduce rebellion and, consequently, protect them from the dangers of alcohol, drugs, and promiscuity; the idea being that it is difficult to rebel when, in order to rebel, you must rebel against your own decisions.

While this resource does not necessarily espouse a Christian worldview, the idea of inner discipline seems very Christian, at least to me. After all, who is the Holy Spirit but that internal voice that works in us to direct our behavior toward that which is pleasing to God? I can’t say how well this system will work at your house. I can say that, in my home, Winning at Parenting Without Beating Your Kids, in conjunction with regular Bible study, church attendance, and service to others, has worked well for over 14 years.

Check out more parenting resources at Kids Are Worth It.