![[(Child Training Tips : What I Wish I Knew When My Children Were Young)] [By (author) Reb Bradley] published on (August, 2014)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51SnOcJL+QL._SL500_.jpg)
How many times have you been frustrated with your child’s disobedience or wrong behavior, and made up a crazy consequence that was extreme or unrelated to the offense?
This often happens during those times when you are struggling as a parent to teach your child to obey or to get them back in the habit when you have let obedience slide.
The first problem with this is that you usually don’t follow through on the consequence. The second problem is you gave it in a moment of anger. Instead, slow down and think of creative consequences that address the heart and bring about change.
Remember that consequences are not about punishment, but rather the training and development of the child. It’s also important that you and your child know the difference between chastening and punishment.
Chastening says, “I truly love you and want what’s best for you.”
Punishment simply says, “I’m angry at you, and now you have to pay!”
Discipline is a holy thing. Too often we parents take discipline lightly or treat it flippantly. In the big picture, all discipline is about bringing our children into a right relationship with their Heavenly Father that He might bless their lives. It’s not about controlling behavior, modifying behavior, or minimizing embarrassment.
Pure and simple, it’s about bringing them into proper alignment with the heart, ways, and favor of their gracious Heavenly Father.
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Biblically correcting your child is one of the greatest ways to win their hearts to you and to God, forever. (Passionate Parenting – by Cary Schmidt)
I’m going to share some of my favorite posts that give ideas for creative consequences. but first I think it is important to look at these questions that Cary Schmidt suggests we ask before determining what consequences we will use with our children.
1. Am I right with my Heavenly Father?
No matter how creative your consequences are, you can’t expect your children to respond right and want to obey God, if you aren’t willing to do the same. You must search your own heart, before correcting theirs.
2. Am I right with my child?
Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes... in You and Your Kids
Passionate Parenting: Enjoying the Journey of Parenting Teens
For discipline to be received, it must transfer far more than mere punishment or rebuke. It must transfer love, compassion and care. It must be redemptive in nature. This cannot happen if there is an unresolved offense between my child and me.
If these two things are in place, your discipline will find its way into the heart and have a life-transforming effect.(Passionate Parenting – Cary Schmidt)
Disciplining our children well takes wisdom, consistency, and empathy. It also helps to have a ready sense of humor, a whole lot of love, and a good supply of patience. Then, on top of all that, there are times you need to mix in a little creativity—creative consequences. So look over these creative and, sometimes unusual, discipline ideas. A few might seem a little out there, but let them inspire you to come up with alternatives of your own.
Ideas from the experts and the trenches, these creative consequences for kids will mean you’re never disappointed with the age-old “time-out” again.
Do you feel like the consequences you give your kids aren’t making a difference? Or enough of a difference? Maybe it’s time to refresh your perspective.
Their free ebook explores:
NATURAL CONSEQUENCES
Making bad choices results in unpleasant experiences. Learn how to utilize these natural consequences to teach your children wisdom.
LOGICAL CONSEQUENCES
Learn how to identify consequences that relate to the behavior. The goal is for your child to understand the problem and develop internal motivation.
RESTITUTIONAL CONSEQUENCES
When your child hurts somebody, “punishing” your child doesn’t make things right again. Your child needs to learn how to make it right with others through restitution.
Not all consequences are equal. Increase your kids’ internal motivation with consequences that actually work.
Sometimes we get too soft in our parenting. We want the best for our children, and we sometimes don’t realize that the best for our child doesn’t always look very pretty. These are called “consequences.” Today I wanted to talk about consequences that make sense for kids. It’s our struggles and our consequences that make us learn and become stronger and more apt to make the right decisions.
As parents, we will fail at times and lose our patience over repeated wrong behavior. Yes at times we chasten with an impatient (or even angry) spirit. When you fail, apologize to your child and make things right.
