The first vitamin that a child has to have is a house of peace. Many parents today grew up in homes that were marked by consistent explosions of anger. Perhaps you regularly saw your parents fight and never resolve their arguments. Maybe your family’s idea of conflict resolution was the old silent treatment.
Do you have memories of walking on eggshells, knowing there was tension in the home?
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Do you have memories of walking on eggshells, knowing there was tension in the home? If so, you probably couldn’t wait to turn 16 so you could get your driver’s license and get away from home whenever you had the chance. Or the day after your 18th birthday, you may have fled the city limits to get as far away from home as you possibly could.
To keep your kids from feeling like they live in a battle zone, don’t argue with your spouse in front of them. While it’s good for kids to watch parents work through conflict, once the discussion starts to escalate, go into the bedroom to talk it out — or wait until a later time.
Before we can expect our children to obey us, we must submit ourselves to our heavenly Father’s authority and treat our spouse and children with respect. I believe the most valuable thing that I provide for my child is demonstrating love for my wife. There is essentially no sin that a child will not forgive as long as his parents love each other.
There have been times when I have had to apologize to my children. I’ve had to go to my son’s room and say to Ben and John, “I want you to know I sinned against your mom. I did not treat her with the respect that God tells me to and I ask you to forgive me.”
Before you teach your child a lesson about anything, before you bring him to Sunday school, make sure you provide a peaceful home environment that he will miss even while he’s at school.
— Rev. Tommy Nelson“Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil. Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.” (Proverbs 15:16-17)
“Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it than a house full of feasting with strife.” (Proverbs 17:1)
Learn how to maintain a peaceful home environment during a disagreement.
