Recently, my husband and I were waiting in line at a building supply store. The woman in front of us was checking out her purchases. In her cart was her daughter, 3- or 4 years old, who was crying and screaming because she wanted to get out of the cart. After some resistance, the mom, understandably embarrassed by the commotion her little tyrant was causing, removed the girl from the cart and placed her on the floor. The child immediately took off and, in no time, was out of sight. The mother helplessly called the girl to come back but, because she was in the middle of her transaction, did not pursue the child. A short time later, the girl returned with a large bag of sugar-coated gumdrops and gave it to her mother, who proceeded to purchase the candy. The girl was all smiles as the two exited the store.
I couldn’t believe it! The little girl had not only won the battle, she had been rewarded for her rebellion. It was evident that the child was in control and the adult was not, and that an already established pattern had just been reinforced.
I don’t claim to have all the answers to this woman’s dilemma. It must be extremely difficult to parent in today’s politically correct culture where, if a parent disciplines his or her child in a way that seems too severe to a bystander, the parent risks being turned over to authorities for child abuse. Child abuse is definitely unacceptable, but political correctness (PC) has gone too far when a parent must refrain from appropriate discipline out of fear.
Such PCness does not protect children, it harms them. I shudder to think what the future holds for the child we saw in the store, and for her mother. With lack of discipline, where will the girl be at age 10, 15 or 18? Barring a miracle, the rebellious behavior established in her preschool years will follow her into adulthood and lead to numerous lifelong problems.
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11).
Copyright © 2010
2 comments:
It is very sad how this culture embraces rebelliousness, and even seems to reward it in a lot of ways. The Bible describes rebellion as the sin if witchcraft (1 Sam. 15:23), so it is not something we should embrace, either in our small children, in our teenagers, or even as God convicts us of it personally in adulthood.
Yes. I read a book some time ago, titled, The Control Trap. http://www.amazon.com/Control-Trap-Barbara-Sullivan/dp/1556611692/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276975543&sr=1-1
The author contended that, if a person has a controlling spirit, it is the same as witchcraft. In many ways, rebellion and a controlling spirit are synonymous.
Adults and children need to reject rebellion and embrace God's control.
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