Today’s Question: Spanking your kids seems really controversial. Can you help me out?
Focus on the Family: Approaches to Discipline
Time Magazine Article: Is Spanking OK?
Big Thanks to Kylie for helping me out this week. Here are some of the guidelines I go by for discipline with my kids:
- Conveying love is my main goal.
- Control the attitude atmosphere. (Just because your kids are acting childish does not give you the right. You can be calm in th midst of your kid’s meltdown. It will take hard work & self-control, but you can do it!).
- Spanking is the lowest form of discipline. If all you have is spanking in your discipline repertoire, you are in for a long parenting journey)
- If you have to spank, do it for willful disobedience. (I never have spanked my kids for being childish. They are children, and they are going to be childish at times. But on occasion my kids [one more than others] will try the willful disobedience. He/She knew what was right, and chose to do wrong.)
- You will not be perfect when it comes to discipline, so be humble. You heard Kylie tell the story of when I got it wrong.. If you get it wrong.. tell your kids you are sorry, ask for their forgiveness, and then learn and grow so you don’t repeat the mistakes.
Remember, we are all in this together.. Love God, Love People, Love Life.
Thanks! You might want to just let Kylie do these from now on.