I’m sorry, but I’m just not a good enough Christian to be into this. There’s just something offensive to me when we work so hard to make sure that our kids understand their own depravity. I also find it offensive when the greatest story ever told is used instead as some kind of controllable tool to manipulate others behavior.
Don’t get me wrong I’m sure that the people who put this together (in addition to those who use this product) are good people with good intentions. We just see things very differently. They would be equally grossed out by many of my views on theology and childrearing and I’m comfortable to just ‘agree to disagree’.
And don’t get me wrong, using the aforementioned child raising tactics probably means that their children are more ‘appropriately’ behaved than mine–but isn’t it time that we stop defining “well behaved” as “you operate according to my rules when I want you to or else…” and instead think in terms of children learning to make good choices not out of fear of punishment (getting hit over the head with a Bible is definitely punishment) but out of experiences that validate the worth of a health and good choice? If a child makes a bad choice he shouldn’t fear getting lectured to death but should instead experience the consequence that fits that unhealthy decision.
And regardless of parenting preferences, do I really want my children growing up understanding the Bible as a tool used to make them feel bad? Because I should clarify that this blog isn’t (shouldn’t be) about parenting styles or preference in discipline, etc.. No, to me the greater offense is the way in which people are invited to wield the Bible. The Bible is the greatest love story ever told, it is a narrative that gives us a glimpse into God’s overtures of love to his created humanity! Wouldn’t you much rather your children understand the Bible as a grand love story than a rule book? Which one fits better with the life and words of Jesus? And isn’t the point that we want our children to live like, with, and for Jesus? We want them to learn what it means to die to self, to love their neighbor, to know that they are completely loved, to know that they are created perfectly in the image of God, and to know that God does indeed desire them to live free of destructive things such as deceit and laziness (but its not because they’re doing it wrong but because God cares for them and wants them to live free!!!)
While I am intrigued to read the scriptures associated with “tattling” I don’t think I’ll be buying this Bible. I think its important for my children to interact with the story of the Bible–but not this way. I want them to see the life that oozes and drips from its pages, I want them to see the whole of Scripture through the lens of Jesus (’cause he is the perfect image of God himself and therefore the best paradigm we have of understanding God’s activity both past and present), I want them to see the Bible as more than a set of quotable verse to be used to prove your point, and I want them to understand that the Bible’s not about being right but about showing love.
Being right can sometimes be wrong.
Although I'm not sure I would be whipping out the bible every time my kids were screaming at each other, I do see value in "finding" scriptures that may apply to whatever we're dealing with at home. I definitely sense "love" and "nurture" in their "idea" more than bashing but I would definitely expect my kids' eyes to roll as "the book" came out…. I think we value the ways of Jesus. We talk about how to love and care for each other as Jesus would do. I think maybe if my kids doubted, for some reason, who God expects us to be might I pull out some scripture, but our lives and usually 😉 our words continually point them to the ways of Jesus so… I guess it feels a little redundant and maybe a little time consuming to hault our lives and pause our "hot feelings" to find the red bible with the tabbers.
I struggle with this when it comes to my nephews (and niece). I want to let them have more freedom, and I want to encourage them to stretch themselves, but all of us have developed habits that stand that compete with those desires.
Thank you for sharing! I LOVE how Jesus Loves us
and I want to be that to my children. There is a balance when to pull out scriptures. If they are in the midst of rebellion, they are not open to hear the word. A soft answer always turns away wrath.
For the big stuff, I have found the book creative correction by Lisa Welchel very insightful and encouraging as well as a great tool. She uses scriptures and opportunity of the word in LOVE to teach as well as natural consequences. There are 'rules' within scripture that ARE in our benefit to follow, and i find it important for my kiddo's to know these 'rules'. But when we mess up there is grace as well. I often look for opportunities to share with my boys what exactly grace looks like. Blessings to you and praying for strength as you minister to others
There is a balance that needs to be held for sure! I think, however, that as parents we really want to control our kids more than we want them to learn to make healthy choices. I'm speaking personally here that more often than not my goal is just to make them stop whatever it is I don't like. Making them stop is more about me and my desire to control them than it is about them learning to make wise choices. This whole Child Training BIble seems to fall more in line with my desire to control than my desire to engage my children in the learning process. And even though there are clear things in Scripture and life that my children need to learn, I'd love for my first restort not to be to simply say "don't do this and don't do that". At times that's essential, but more often than not this doesn't really breed the type of obedience that I truly want.
Ok, I'm just rambling now and I don't remember where I even started!
Anyway at times it's got be yes/and or both/and. Thanks so much for the book suggestions (both the one above and some that were suggested via facebook)–parenting can be so hard!
Anyway at times it's got be yes/and or both/and. Thanks so much for the book suggestions (both the one above and some that were suggested via facebook)–parenting can be so hard!
What do you mean? write-my-essay.us
Anyway at times it's got be yes/and or both/and. Thanks so much for the book suggestions (both the one above and some that were suggested via facebook)–parenting can be so hard!
It is true. essays-tips
Education welcomes positive and valuable change in life. It makes our life truly prosperous and significant. Everybody needs to be decently taught. Life can be effective by the assistance of fitting instruction.
Hi,
I struggle with this when it comes to my nephews (and niece). I want to let them have more freedom, and I want to encourage them to stretch themselves, but all of us have developed habits that stand that compete with those desires.
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