The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. (Prov 29:15)
Parents of young children often grow weary of disciplining them. They feel like all they do is nag, scold, and punish. When you are tempted to give up and let your children do what they want, or when you wonder if you've ruined every chance for a loving relationship with them, remember that kind, firm discipline helps them learn, and learning makes them wise. Consistent, loving discipline will ultimately teach them to discipline themselves. (Life Application Study Bible).
We try to teach our children many things. They do not always understand why we do what we do. Often a wedge is placed between two parents who disagree on parenting issues. A child learns at an early age which parent to ask permission from with regard to less appropriate or more dangerous circumstances. My children were no exception. The problem comes in when decisions are made by one parent without consulting the other. There is often the honest "I didn't think you would mind" rationale, and there is the sneaky "don't let your mother/father know". There are a few others that tend to be a bit more sinister that involve other members of the extended family.
The attitude you bring to the decisions that are made regarding your children should be that of love, caring and understanding. Having their best interests at heart, knowing what they need (as opposed to what you want for them) should be the rationale you use in making your decision. In this same Proverb, King Solomon also tells us that making the same mistake over and over is an invitation to disaster. (Prov 29:1) Eventually all people (adults and children) have to face the consequences of refusing to learn. If their mistake is refusing the parent's authority or God's commands, in both cases, the consequences can be especially serious. In the end, they may be turned away. The human heart can take only so much pain and abuse before it breaks completely and becomes hardened.
Take a lesson from the Book of Proverbs and be diligent in your child rearing, not lazy. The diligent become rich, they are prosperous and are fully satisfied. Do not sit idly by as your children throw their lives away. Step up and offer direction, encouragement and support (whether they want it or not; whether they take it or not). They may not thank you now, but somewhere down the road they will understand why these things were important for their future. Don't walk away, don't be discouraged - God placed them in your capable hands and it is up to you to help mold and shape their future.
