discipline and discipleship
Being a parent is not easy! It requires the very best in me along with God's goodness and grace every single day. I read something a bit ago that really inspired me, and I've been thinking a lot about it. Discipleship. What does it really mean to be a disciple? And how does that relate to the word 'discipline'? When I think of the word disciple, I think of someone who is a follower of Christ--someone who leads others lovingly. One who teaches by example. Just so happens that 'disciple' is the root of the word 'discipline'. So how does that relate to helping my children behave well?
I read this a while ago and loved it:
“Discipline is helping a child solve a Problem. Punishment is making a child suffer for having a problem. To raise problem solvers, focus on solution not retribution. ”
I feel like most people (including myself) typically think of discipline as some form of punishment, so this is quite a paradigm shift! And having the self-discipline to carry out this idea in a moment of frustration is easier said than done. Jeremiah and I are really working to try and raise problem solvers (another post on that later). Viewing difficult situations as an opportunity to work through a problem and help a little one develop his or her own problem-solving skills makes all the difference in the world. This concept really speaks to me and is something I'm working on implementing. I believe it will help lead to happy children who will grow into whole and emotionally healthy adults, and best of all mold me into a better disciple of Christ.