I have been having a challenging debate in my own head over the last few days about disciplining my children and whether or not I am using the correct tools to discipline. There is no doubt in my mind that discipline is more about love than it is about behavior modification, at least it should be. The only problem I have encountered is that it is far to easy to allow myself to be just an authoritarian in my parenting and not actually invest in knowing my kids individually and meeting their individual needs. The pendulum has shifted so far in our generation that it is now taboo to discipline your kids. Their is a whole generation of parents refusing to take responsibility for their kids actions and thus resulting in these kids who roam with no respect for anything and anyone, never mind any form of authority. One natural thing for my life has been to really examine hard the decisions and actions of my parents and whether or not I agree with any of them. I do not believe you have reached adulthood until you have done this. Until you can look back at your childhood and deal with the hurt and pain caused by your parents then you really aren't ready to face life and deal with the hurts and pains that it confronts you with. No parent is perfect and I certainly will never be, but the desire of my heart is to teach my kids and bring them up in a loving home where beyond everything they will know that they are loved. My heart has been convicted a lot over the few days as I have really asked for wisdom in how Mary and I discipline and whether or not we are in fact being wise when we choose to discipline. Breaking out of the mold of my preconceived expectations has been difficult and presents me daily with a choice that there is no doubt in my mind I need help with. That is why when my son was baptized last weekend, Scotty my pastor, called the whole church to walk beside us because it indeed takes many to instruct and bring up a child in the way that right. I need this more now than ever.
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