Parents are fond of using force. Whether it's yelling or threatening or whatever it might be, we're often convinced that the only way to curb misbehavior is to intimidate or frighten our child into compliance. And while some sort of force may initially be necessary at times to get our point across, it's never capable of truly reforming our children's behavior. Why? Because it's terrible at achieving understanding and our children ultimately need to understand why an action or behavior is right or wrong. So while force, properly applied, may get a child to the place where they're open to instruction, it cannot be the vehicle that delivers it. That must come from us with all the love we can muster.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Character Badges: https://thewellorderedhomeschool.com/products/character-badges-laminated-set-ages-5-13

Raising children can be frustrating - terribly frustrating. Often we feel the need to unburden our frustrations on others. "Can you believe they said that?!" or, " Who do they think they are?" or, "You wouldn't believe what I'm going through," and on and on. But we rarely stop to think about the degree to which our actions are responsible for their actions. We don't have to look very far to realize that many of the struggles we see in our children's lives are there as a result of our unwillingness to sacrifice for them. Or more specifically that there's a particular level of sacrifice that we've deemed a road too far. This begs the question - just how far are you willing to go?

I'm not sure that you would characterize this generation as aimless. It's just that so many of our aims are wrong. Mainly, the one that directs us to serve ourselves exclusively. That's not why we're here. Nor is it why your family is here, together, at this particular time. You and your family have a mission - you just might not know it yet. But that mission needs to be discovered and it needs to be communicated to your children so they can take part. The truth is, children actually like work as long as they can sense the purpose in it. And there's no more purposeful work than the work you engage in, together, for the benefit of others.

Links mentioned in this episode:

⁠The Well Ordered Homeschool Planner ⁠

⁠Chalk Full of Design⁠ - Handcrafted, Educational chalkboards for children! Enjoy screen free learning!