Parenting Tip: Discipline vs Punishment

courtesy of Emily Wicker, Staff Counselor

There is a big difference between disciplining your children and punishing them. Disciplining children refers to teaching them to learn from their mistakes (focusing on positive, future-oriented behaviors) whereas punishing children refers to making them suffer from their mistakes (focusing on past, negative behaviors).

Ephesians 6:4 says "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."

God says that we are to train and teach our children. We can do this in a positive way by telling children what we WANT them to do instead of what we DON'T WANT them to do. Instead of saying in your loud voice, "Sarah, stop yelling at your sister!!!", you could say in your calm voice, "Sarah, you should talk to your sister in a nice voice and treat her with respect".