Family Rules

Every now and then our kiddos get out of sorts. They forget every single ounce of character training and they rebel against our rules. It’s never a pretty sight, let me tell you.

As parents, it is our job to train and correct them. When they choose to forget what we have taught them about godly character, good manners, and acceptable behaviors, we have to correct them. I am not going to tell you how you should correct your child; I am just going to share what we do in our home.

We have a behavior chart hanging in our pantry. This chart helps remind our children to get back on track when their conduct is unacceptable. Each morning they begin on start. They get one warning before they begin losing privileges, or if they just refuse to turn things around, they may receive an early bedtime.

We do not have many household rules. They are quite easy to understand and follow even from a young age. Our rules are

• Respect Others.

• Obey Authority.

• Ask Permission.

• Be Kind & Peaceful.

• Be a Helper.

Our children are also taught Bible verses that go along with our rules, so they know it’s not just Mom and Dad who expect them to have Godly conduct. Our Father in Heaven wants us to follow the statutes that He has set before us. These rules that we have asked them to adhere to are not made up—they are in God’s Word.

In addition to our behavior chart, we have a blackboard where we remind our children of a different character quality each week. This is not just for them. It helps us to remember that we are also expected to follow God’s Word and that our children will follow our example.

The number one thing to remember as we correct our kiddos is to do it out of love and not anger. They need to feel we are disciplining them because we care for them, and we want them to grow into godly adults. Never allow your emotions to get the best of you when your child is showing his sinful side. Stop, pray, and ask God to guide you before you say or do something you may regret later. We get much better results using self-control when correcting our kids. When they see us exercising Godly character, they will be more willing to listen to our admonishment.

Along with correcting, we must be using words of affirmation when they are caught exhibiting godly character traits. We need to be quick to encourage them. It lets them know what behaviors are acceptable and good.

I don’t know about you, but I have to work really hard at this concept. I have to remind myself to encourage my kids on a daily basis. It is just not built into my personality. In my head, you are just supposed to do what you are told to do, and you shouldn’t need a cheerleader, but all personalities are different and some kids thrive on words of encouragement. Some children feel unloved if they are not given words of affirmation every day. Some great examples of words of affirmation are “Well done!” or “Great job!” and “Excellent work!”

We need to really set out to show our children that we see what they are doing, and we are proud of them when they make the right decisions. A verse that I love to repeat on a daily basis is found in Deuteronomy 6:18. It says,

Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land the LORD promised on oath to your ancestors.

My name is Betty Daley. I am a wife, mother, and homeschooling teacher. I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 24 years and we have six children. I have been homeschooling for 20 years. Our older three have graduated The Daley Academy, and we continue to homeschool our younger three. We love sharing about our homeschooling adventures. Our family motto is “Do all to the glory of God”. We pray that we can encourage others as we give you a look into our lives. https://letsgetreal2016.blogspot.com/