188
Child Guidance
becomes impatient and is in danger of speaking unwisely, let him
remain silent. There is wonderful power in silence
Give Few Commands; Then Require Obedience—Let mothers
be careful not to make unnecessary requirements to exhibit their own
authority before others. Give few commands, but see that these are
obeyed
Do not ... in your discipline of children release them from that
which you have required them to do. Do not let your mind become
so absorbed in other things as to cause you to grow careless. And do
[248]
not become wearied in your guardianship because your children forget
and do that which you have forbidden them to do
In all your commands aim to secure the highest good of your
children, and then see that these commands are obeyed. Your energy
and decision must be unwavering, yet ever in subjection to the Spirit
of Christ
Dealing With a Negligent Child—When you ask your child to do
a certain thing, and he answers, “Yes, I will do it,” and then neglects to
fulfill his word, you must not leave the matter thus. You must call your
child to account for this neglect. If you pass it by without notice, you
educate your child to habits of neglect and unfaithfulness. God has
given to every child a stewardship. Children are to obey their parents.
They are to help bear the burdens and responsibilities of the home; and
when they neglect to do their appointed work, they should be called to
account and required to perform it
Results of Hasty, Spasmodic Discipline—When children have
done wrong, they themselves are convicted of their sin and feel humil-
iated and distressed. To scold them for their faults will often result in
making them stubborn and secretive. Like unruly colts, they seem de-
termined to make trouble, and scolding will do them no good. Parents
should seek to divert their minds into some other channel.
But the trouble is, parents are not uniform in their management, but
move more from impulse than from principle. They fly into a passion
and do not set an example before their children that Christian parents
12
Education, 292
.
13
The Signs of the Times, February 9, 1882
.
14
Manuscript 32, 1899
.
15
The Signs of the Times, September 13, 1910
.
16
Manuscript 127, 1899
.