Written By Matthew Kennedy on X

We only had four rules for our six children. They kept us sane, our household peaceful, and by God’s grace, all six of them have turned out to be wonderful young Christian men and women. Hope you find them helpful.

1. Immediate obedience (not to immediately obey is to disobey).

2. Speak to, answer, look at your mother with absolute honor, respect, and deference (they tend to do that with me anyway but with their mother not as much, hence the rule).

3. No lying.

4. Eat whatever you’re given cheerfully and gratefully. Never say anything negative about any food that is set before you. Always be thankful.

When any of these rules are broken, significant consequences should follow immediately (we used corporal punishment), without delay. This should be delivered with resigned sorrow perhaps but without anger or a raised voice so that the child will know he or she is being disciplined as a consequence for the wrongdoing, not because they made us angry.

After discipline, there should be an immediate hug, forgiveness, and the Gospel. Jesus loves you and forgives you; so do I. And we go about the day, forgetting it happened.

The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
Proverbs 29:15

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