Teaching Obedience

A child's obedience in the home should not be optional. Obedience is an essential skill if your child will grow to

• Have social acceptance 
• Benefit from education 
• Succeed in the work place 
• Possess a saving relationship with Christ 

Obedience is a parent's top priority for their children
1. Begin early
Your child should know that you expect obedience from the very first. We started as soon as we came home with our kids. If another parent wants to wait six months, that's fine. But begin quickly.
2. Spend lots of time with your kids 
I don't mean just be in the room with them but engage them. Speak to them. Teach them. Hear what they say. Explain why obedience is important and why you want them to obey a particular thing.
3. Give them age appropriate responsibility
Don't expect them to do more than they are capable at their age but give them responsibilities and expect them to fulfill them. Teach them how. Do them with them and then expect them to complete the task.
4. Tell them once
Once you are sure they are capable of the responsibility and know how to complete it, tell them to do it and walk away. If they do not complete it administrator an appropriate and predetermined consequence so they know you are serious about obedience. Leave again. Repeat until obedience is achieved. Don't grow angry.  Just teach obedience.
5. Encourage obedience.
Recognize obedience and reward it often. Sure, you want to be consistent with the rod for discipline, but you'll get great results from being equally consistent with reward.