With the amount of constant conflict in our society, it’s no surprise our children believe they can say whatever comes into their heads to anyone at any time. “Good” kids probably won’t say things that will have them labeled as bullies, but often the things they say (which in their minds are smart and funny) are actually very rude and disrespectful.
The problem is there is no real societal standard the way there was several decades ago. Chances are if your child says something “sassy” or disrespectful, it is just as likely to be given positive labels as negative ones. Yet, as Christians, we are held to God’s standard – not society’s. We know God wants our children to speak in ways that are loving, kind and respectful. How can we train them to speak the way God wants them to speak to others?
It’s definitely easier to train or disciple your child in any godly behavior when you can count on other adults to reinforce what you are teaching them. Even if you don’t have that support system though, there are things you can do at home to move your child towards more godly speech.
Here are my six favorite tips:
I vividly remember one of my first Homeschool Conferences. We had recently decided to begin homeschooling our fifth grader on a trial basis. With a degree in education, I felt fairly confident. We had a few minor adjustment bumps in the road, but overall were doing pretty well so far.
The old adage “Children should be seen and not heard” makes me think of the movie Mary Poppins. Those adorable children spent every day with their nanny, because their parents were just too busy to be bothered with them. Thankfully, Mary Poppins was able to help the parents realize the most important thing they could do was to spend time together as a family.
If you have been a parent for more than five minutes, you have probably heard the old adage, “Be your child’s parent, not their friend.” There is some truth to that. You have to be able to set firm, but loving boundaries and enforce them in order for your child to grow.
Family dynamics are interesting. The people who supposedly love you the most in the world, also know exactly what to say or do to make you feel the most unloved. Sadly, we have all been guilty of saying something hurtful to a spouse, parent or sibling. In some families, it quickly becomes a bad habit. Everyone feels safer taking their frustration, hurt and anger from their day and punishing family members with it – even when they had absolutely nothing to do with it.