Quotes about Parenting

One of life's mysteries is why two children growing up in the same home sometimes take radically different paths—one following Christ, the other rebellious and scornful. Yet it happens.

God gave us our children so we could prepare them to become adults.

One of the worst things we can do is allow our children to grow up thinking they don't need to keep any rules. A spoiled child becomes a spoiled adult.

There is always the exceptional child, but the average tells us that the child is largely what the home has made him.

Children respect discipline. They want to be guided. It gives them a sense of belonging, a sense of security.

Children do need the guidance of their parents, and we guide them more by the example we set than by any other way. We need to be firm and sane and fair and consistent—and, above all, we need to discipline in a spirit of love.

Children must be taught obedience just as much as they need to be taught to read and write.

Someday your children will leave; you can't hold on to them or control them forever, nor should you.

Cut out some of your "important social engagements," and make your home the center of your social life. God will honor you, and your children will grow up to call you "blessed" [Proverbs 31:28].

Parents do overindulge their children, giving them a profusion of material things . . . without the stabilizing effects of earning one's way, of making decisions, of sweating hard to attain some kind of goal, young people are grievously handicapped.

I would say my greatest achievement in life right now - my greatest achievement period is - and I'm still trying to achieve it - is to be a wonderful father to my kids.

'Dare to Discipline' was published in 1970 in the midst of the Vietnam War and a culture of rebellion. The book was written in that context, but the principles of child rearing have not changed.