Tip # 3 – Clarify the Consequences –
God has always been very clear regarding the consequences of His rules. Follow His rules and life is good. Disregard His rules and life will be difficult. He has done so from the beginning of our existence:
“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17
Parents need to do the same. Rules within the family need to be clear and, the consequences of breaking the rules need to be equally clear. For instance, you may tell your child: “Homework helps you learn important lessons, so you cannot play your video game till after you have completed your homework”. Also be sure and clarify the consequences: “If you don’t do your homework first, you will not be able to play video games for 2 days”. And then stick to it!
Keep in mind the overall goal of discipline: to create in your child a heart that truly loves God and therefore truly loves goodness and kindness and all of the other positive characteristics of righteousness that God desires to teach us through His word. As parents we want to help our children see the beauty of such a heart and thus desire to have such a heart within themselves.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.“ Jeremiah 29:11
God disciplined His people, and sometimes the discipline was pretty harsh. But He always did so with a view to the ultimate welfare of His children, to give them hope and assure them of a better future. We as parents need to practice the same.