Struggling with Disciplining Your Children?

Sep 072012
 

Here are some links that might be of help:

The Mystery of Discipline Part 1, by Sally Clarkson

The Mystery of Discipline Part 2, by Sally Clarkson

Perfectionism, by Ann Voskamp

What Protection Looks Like, by John Lynch:

 (Can’t see the video? Click here)

 

Print this!

 Posted on:September 7, 2012  Motherhood  Add comments
  • Stacey

    Thank you SO much Sarah Mae, for linking to these fabulous posts! I needed that today :)

  • Mrs Little

    I just had very realistic nightmare about this exact subject last. Ccan’t until naptime so I can sit with a cup of tea and read these. You are a blessing today Sarah Mae :)

  • Jessica

    I remember reading those Sally Clarkson posts back when she wrote them, and thinking,”I’ve never heard any Christian parenting book author explain things this way!” It helped me out so much! I think reading those articles helped shape a lot of my discipline philosophy today(not that I don’t still struggle- wow do I struggle!!) Thanks for sharing!!

  • Rébecca

    I had a neat experience when I saw your post. I had just finished a big project and thought watching a 4 minute video clip would be relaxing. Well, the kids just kept interrupting me, each with there own problem that necessitated my intervention. I thought “oh goodness, I can’t even watch a 4 min video peacebly !” Amoung other problems, my youngest (3,5 yo) cried out from the bathroom. She had had trouble getting her swimsuit off in time and had peed on the floor… After helping her clean it up, I told her she might as well get in pyjamas, because it was getting late. She had a strong opposed reaction, as she often(almost always has when I ask her to do something) has, and slumped down to the ground whining that she didn’t want to get into her pyjamas. I thought “oh boy, here we go again for another battle…” She is extremely strong-willed and has been since the youngest age. I have rarely seen toddlers be as stubborn as she was/is. Getting her to obey was practically impossible. Since she was upset on the ground, she bonked her head and started craying. I thought well I can’t be reading/watching things and not put them into practice (and besides I just realized that her pyjamas were -so I thought- in the wash). So I just put underwear on her, then scooped her up and cradled her in my arms. I had clicked on Ann Voskamp’s link and turned off her music but my daugther said she wanted to hear the music so I turned it back on. I just hugged her and rocked her saying I loved her and was sorry she had hurt her head. She quietted down and closed her eyes and looked like the music was soothing her to sleep. Then all of the sudden, she jumped off of my lap and ran to the bathroom where the clean clothes were folded. She brought back her pyjamas (well, I guess they made it to the previous load of wash !) and cheerfully asked me if I would “please” help her put them on. I was so impressed. Here she had obeyed cheerfully because I had loved her, instead of obeying begrudgingly (sp ?) because I had coerced her into doing it ! That was simply amazing !

  • http://thechuppies.com/ Kara @ The Chuppies

    I really appreciate you sharing Sally’s links (I’ve read 3 of Sally’s books and appreciated them very much, but was just talking to a friend last week about how I’d love to read a few more specifics about what that looks like with a little little one who is 2-3 yrs. old).

    That second post was especially very helpful.
    We’re on our 5th kiddo and we still don’t feel like I have it “figured out” in any way (which is a good thing–keeps us clinging to Him)…no formula and each little one so different.

    Our desire is to parent for heart change (knowing that only God can produce the real transformation). But–when I read books about grace-based-parenting…it still is difficult for me to picture how that works with a 2-3 yr. old. With the older kiddos, it is so much easier to have conversations and even more incredible, when they have the Holy Spirit themselves and you can see God convicting their hearts.

    But with a 3 year old…so much is still just a matter of obedience (even for safety sake). Sally gave some specific examples in these posts that were really helpful as far as picturing what parenting with grace looks like (and I appreciated her clarifications about what exactly it is…not lack of discipline and out of control kiddos). Loved the “questions to ask myself” in that second post…

    Thanks for these!

  • angie

    Was just talking to my husband about this last night, so this couldn’t be more timely…thank you. Needed this today! :)