Tough Love
I’m sure that by now everyone has either seen or heard about the video of the father who shot his daughter’s laptop and posted the video on Facebook. I watched an interview with the father and daughter a while back and it hit me. That gentleman caught a lot of slack for what he did, and yes, maybe it was a little over dramatic. But that is the kind of parent we should all strive to be: involved in our children’s lives. Unfortunately that does require tough love at times.
I know that with my children, especially in light of Caleb’s condition, I find myself wanting to give in to them. They are only young once, I tell myself. What a great injustice I am doing to them when I don’t correct them! God’s Word tells us to “Train up a child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it”. It is our duties as godly mothers to “train up” our children and teach them right from wrong. Correct them when they do wrong. Take their laptops (and I-Phones, and I-Pads, and…you get the picture!) when they are using them for the wrong reasons. Protect your children from predators and yes, even from themselves! Are they going to get mad at us for it? Absolutely! Will they respect us for it? Eventually!
We all know that our Heavenly Father loves us and only wants what’s best for us. We rebel and try to do our own thing. We test His patience at every turn. I know that He is sitting up there shaking His head at most of the crazy things I do! And when those things we do are definitely not in His ultimate plan for us, He corrects us. Even God uses tough love at times!
As I have said before, parenting is not an easy job. It is not for the faint of heart. We are supposed to be parents to our children, not their best friends. That does not mean that we cannot have a close relationship with our children. All three of my kiddos still come to me about daily happenings, big and small. My job, as is yours, is to guide them in the right direction. Wrong is wrong. There are no shades of gray when it comes to the BIG issues in life. I would love to say that I was a perfect child growing up, never made mistakes, and just sailed through the teen years and into adult hood without any complications. Of course that would be a lie. I was rebellious and hard headed. I made lots of mistakes. When appropriate I share my experiences with my children and use them as a learning tool. I am quick to tell them that some of the things I did was straight out sin and I am ashamed of what I did. The worst thing I can do is to make myself into something my children could never hope to be like. I want them to know that I am human, I make mistakes, and I fall. But when all is said and done, my Father forgives me, corrects me, and most of all still loves me, just as I (and you) will do for our little (and big!) ones!
Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them. – Proverbs 13:24
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