Obedience

Last week we heard that a boy in Jonesy’s class was being kicked out of the pre-school. Turns out this is the second school from which he has been expelled. A friend of ours who goes to church with the boy and his family told Leslie that his parents explained to the teacher that they have a very unstructured household. Not because of divorce or weird job hours, but apparently they believe in letting him have freedom to do what he wants and don’t want to hamper his developing personality with rules, demands, and consequences.

When Jones got home from school on Thursday we asked her if she knew a boy named Charlie. She said, “Yes. He’s in my class and he does everything wrong!” She explained how he didn’t obey the teachers and was always in trouble.

Leslie and I believe that our primary task as parents of young children is to teach them to obey. In the same way that our marriage here on earth reflects the marriage covenant between Christ and His church, I believe that if children learn to fear, love, and obey their earthly father they will better understand how to fear, love, and obey our heavenly Father.

Our kids aren’t perfect. We have our struggles and they don’t always obey, but we’ve done our best to let them know that God expects us to teach them to obey. I was proud that Jonesy made that connection this week. She expressed her understanding that because we had taught her to obey she had a lot more fun at school than Charlie.

I don’t doubt that this poor boy has parents who love him, but unfortunately they have done him a disservice. Our children will make plenty of friends throughout their lives. What they need now are parents who will provide boundaries, discipline, and structure. Not to turn them into robots, but to help guide them to a point in their lives where they will make good decisions, advancing in maturity from imposed discipline to self discipline.

p.s. His real name isn't Charlie.