Book review: Don't Make Me Count to Three!
Ok, so I finished my first book of 2010. :) This book is a mom's look at heart-oriented discipline. If you've read "Shepherding a Child's Heart" by Ted Tripp, this book is similar to that. It's a little different though since it's written from a mother's viewpoint. I don't know about you, but I need a book like this right now. I'm in the middle of raising a 2 year old that is going on 10. There's a lot of whining and arguing going on in this house when she doesn't get her way!
Ginger Plowman breaks the book into 3 parts: Reaching the Heart of your Child, How to Give a Biblical Reproof, and The Biblical Use of the Rod.
Here are a few excerpts that really stuck with me:
**In order for us to reach the heart of our children we must realize that there is far more to parenting than getting our children to act right.
**The whole purpose of discipline is to teach children the Word of God, how they have violated that Word, and how to change. Chastising for the wrong without teaching them the right can exasperate them, provoke them to fear and anger, and fail to result in inward change.
**The simple truth is that all kids are sinners and will manifest sinful behavior. The question is not: Will they sin? The question is: When they sin, what will you do about it? Will you ignore them, scream at them, make excuses for them, or will you train them up in the way they should go? (Prov. 22:6)
This last part REALLY convicted me. As a parent, the Lord has entrusted me to train them and in doing so, teach them about sin, the consequences of sin, and forgiveness. If I am disciplining my girls in a godly way, it will point them to Christ. I need to make sure that I'm never doing it b/c I have been offended or sinned against, it's because they have sinned against God. If I always had that mindset, I wouldn't get upset.
Ginger Plowman uses a lot of scripture in this book and when disciplining/correcting her children. Because of that, it's not the child's goal to do something because "Mom said so", it's because the Bible says so.
The last thing I'll share is something I'm going to start working on with AC right away. I want AC (and eventually EK when I know she understands) to understand that we should obey God "all the way, right away, and with a happy heart." I don't just want AC to obey outwardly, but I want her to do it with the right attitude and to do it because it pleases the Lord.
If you can't tell already, I highly recommend this book!!!! :)
**cute AC story: This morning, I needed to change EK's diaper. I asked AC to go into EK's room and get me the diaper. AC replied, "Sure mama". Then she added, " I didn't say no." and began to recite her Philippians 2:14 verse (Do everything without complaining or arguing.) Gotta admit that moments like that make all the hard work worth it!
Ginger Plowman breaks the book into 3 parts: Reaching the Heart of your Child, How to Give a Biblical Reproof, and The Biblical Use of the Rod.
Here are a few excerpts that really stuck with me:
**In order for us to reach the heart of our children we must realize that there is far more to parenting than getting our children to act right.
**The whole purpose of discipline is to teach children the Word of God, how they have violated that Word, and how to change. Chastising for the wrong without teaching them the right can exasperate them, provoke them to fear and anger, and fail to result in inward change.
**The simple truth is that all kids are sinners and will manifest sinful behavior. The question is not: Will they sin? The question is: When they sin, what will you do about it? Will you ignore them, scream at them, make excuses for them, or will you train them up in the way they should go? (Prov. 22:6)
This last part REALLY convicted me. As a parent, the Lord has entrusted me to train them and in doing so, teach them about sin, the consequences of sin, and forgiveness. If I am disciplining my girls in a godly way, it will point them to Christ. I need to make sure that I'm never doing it b/c I have been offended or sinned against, it's because they have sinned against God. If I always had that mindset, I wouldn't get upset.
Ginger Plowman uses a lot of scripture in this book and when disciplining/correcting her children. Because of that, it's not the child's goal to do something because "Mom said so", it's because the Bible says so.
The last thing I'll share is something I'm going to start working on with AC right away. I want AC (and eventually EK when I know she understands) to understand that we should obey God "all the way, right away, and with a happy heart." I don't just want AC to obey outwardly, but I want her to do it with the right attitude and to do it because it pleases the Lord.
If you can't tell already, I highly recommend this book!!!! :)
**cute AC story: This morning, I needed to change EK's diaper. I asked AC to go into EK's room and get me the diaper. AC replied, "Sure mama". Then she added, " I didn't say no." and began to recite her Philippians 2:14 verse (Do everything without complaining or arguing.) Gotta admit that moments like that make all the hard work worth it!
That sounds like a good one for all of us Mamas. Have you read Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel? It's really good! There is a lot of practical application as far as discipline is concerned. It is less theory and background information, but more day-to-day how to put it into action. That is one of my favorite parenting books. I'd love to hear what you think of it. :)
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