Discipline Of Children

Plant the seed of good choices!

Tough Subject But Here It Goes!
I am blogging this because I was thinking what my life was like when I was a young person growing up and how my dad didn't know how to discipline nor did my mother. My mom let you do what you wanted. My dad on the other hand had a temper and never set down to talk to you about WHY you should or shouldn't do such and such. He yelled out the rules and you did it or suffered the consequences. So I ask the question , is there a right way to discipline? My father came from very strict parents and he only knew one way.
I have seen children who are disciplined and those who aren't and what a noticeable difference!
Often the disciplining of children and teenagers is the hardest part of a marriage. It can make or break a marriage! I have seen my share of fighting and quarreling between my parents., Rivalry between my silbings, conflict,strife and it all goes back to how we were disciplined. I've also seen parents who didn't see eye to eye on what is best for the child and that causes problems.
When I got married I wanted a family where everyone loved everyone, where there was no feuding or fighting. I thought all you had to do was love your kids and everything would be perfect. Not so! love is not enough! I didn't really realize you had to work at the discipline thing to make it all come together. I just didn't have a clue, didn't see it at work in my own family growing up.
There was no example to follow. Sure I knew how to love my children, that part was easy. But the discipline part can get hard, more so as teenagers. So you might wonder, how did my children turn out? well I have been really blessed! There were a few tough bumps alone the way but as my sign says in my living room" You can't scare me , I have children." ha!
Sometimes love alone will not get you the results you want. Like the flower pot at the top of this page, you plant a seed and if you fail to care for it, not giving it what it needs, it will not make it.
Fumble you will , mistakes you will make but for the most part kids are pretty forgiving and resilience.
Getting the respect of your child starts at a early age and we almost forget because we are so into the wonderment of our child!
We hope to teach what is exceptable and not exceptable. Make no excuses for your children but show love, discipline and gain the respect of your child. We can help them to grow into that awesome person that we want them to become! I just had this song going through my head from the movie" South Pacific" goes like this "they got to be taught before its too late, before they are six, seven , or eight, they got to be carefully taught."
I love my children , they love their children. Perfect parents we were not but we sure did try our best, thats all you can do. Dad came from a loving family where his mother taught her children well, she got the respect that she so deserved! . Dad loved and had a great respect for his mother. It flowed over and today he has respect for all women. I know they sure love him in this neighborhood! ha! Anyway,I found this quote that has alot of truth in it. "I would rather go to jail for spanking my kid than for them to go to jail because I didn't!"
Be calm, I am not by any means saying you need to spank your child, not at all! But this I have learned, take the time to teach whats right and wrong , exceptable and not exceptable. It will save you alot of heartache in the future and along with this let them know you love them and how proud you are of their good choices!!
Life is all about choices!
Help them make the right choices when young and half the battle is won! It will make your job so much easier as a parent and above all it will help to build their self esteem. And if they feel good about themself then you will have done a wonderful job! love, mama