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Whether you have one child or several children, parenting can be an extremely difficult task. As I journey down this road as single parent, I sometimes feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and completely inadequate. At times, parenting with a diligent hand can seem virtually impossible!

Each day brings about new challenges. I’m daily pleading with God–asking Him for wisdom and strength to raise my children for His glory. This has been my prayer from the time my children were too young to realize who God was–and it’s my continual prayer today.

In this post, I will share practical ways God has helped me in the area of child training over the years. Just a quick disclaimer here: I am not a perfect parent. I don’t have it all together. I absolutely cannot point the finger at anyone when it comes to raising children (or anything else for that matter).

I’m far from being an expert in the field of child training. My children are not perfect, and they don’t obey my every command. I’ve made tons of mistakes as a parent, and I will make plenty more along the way. But thank the Lord I’m learning, growing, and becoming more like my Savior Jesus Christ each day. I can’t tell you I’m always faithful and diligent in training my children (I wish I was).

What I can tell you is that the Bible is true, the Word of God is faithful, and God never fails! I believe the Bible…all 66 books. Through the years, I’ve been blessed to have followed God’s Biblical principles regarding the training of children.

His Word tells us ladies, exactly how to train our children. I challenge you to read the book of Proverbs (one chapter each day throughout the month). There are many verses in Proverbs which pertain to child training. I know there are many great books out on the subject, but the greatest of all books is God’s Holy Word.

When Should You Begin Parenting with a Diligent Hand?

Parenting–as mentioned earlier, is a tough job! To go a step further–I would say that being a mother is the most tiring, most challenging, and yet, the most rewarding career a woman could ever have. Whether you’re a full-time mom or a career mom, your first career is CEO MOMMYHOOD! 😊And let me assure you–you have a job!

This job requires plenty of hard work, sacrifice, and determination to keep going when you feel like quitting. Parenting is a blessed calling but a sobering one as well. It’s definitely something I don’t take lightly.

So when should you begin training children? My answer is…In the womb! There were times when my babies enjoyed kicking me at the most inconvenient times–like 2 o’clock in the morning. Just a gentle nudge with my hand and a quiet, yet firm voice would calm them down. Sounds crazy? Believe me–it works!

Terrible Two Syndrome

What about the “terrible two”syndrome? Sounds like a cliché, right? But the truth is–there is a such thing as terrible twos–and terrible ones, threes, and so forth (even terrible 16 year olds!). Children, left completely to themselves, can be TERRIBLE!

Children are a blessing. They are a gift from God. The Bible says, “Children are an heritage of the Lord.” (Psalm 127:3). And no matter how cute they can be, how good they can smell (I love baby smells!), or how funny they can be–children must be trained.

We must take an active role as parents in training our children. If we don’t properly train our children God’s way, we can’t expect our children to one day become God-fearing, respectable, responsible adults.

We must parent our babies with a diligent hand. The training of children should begin at an early age (Proverbs 13:24), before their will is set. It should be done while their hearts are tender towards correction.

Rearing Godly, loving children (not perfect children) doesn’t just happen by default. We play a huge part in God’s amazing creation. It’s up to us mom, to teach and train our children–beginning at an early age.

Practical Ways You Can Train Small Children

Regardless of what some may think, you CAN train small children to sit still, obey the first time, and even eat peas (yes!). I can truly say, it’s not an overnight process (I’m still diligently working on my children).

Parenting children takes a considerable amount of time, prayer, and effort. Don’t give up! Your child will eventually get it. You may not see the real fruit of your labor until they leave your home (after high school graduation).

But whether you see immediate results or not, parents are commanded by God to train children up in the way they SHOULD go (Proverbs 22:6). We simply do what God has given us in His Word, and we leave the results up to God.

Here are some practical ways you can train your little ones:

▪ Begin a reading and quiet time with your child (as early as 6 months to a year old). When my kids were very little, we would have a short Bible reading/ story time. Depending on their age, 10-15 minutes of sit down time was all they needed to calm their nerves (and mine as well!).

As they get older, increase the time. Most small children love to hear mommy read to them.

Have small training sessions with small toddlers. Set clear boundaries that they can understand. For example, if you have a coffee table with a place setting in the middle, don’t rearrange it once your child begins pulling up or walking. Simply teach them not to touch it. Say NO!

I’m not a huge advocate on child-proofing everything in the home to the point where you feel as though you’re in prison. I strongly agree that you should keep your child safe and free from harm, however,  I do not believe you should remove everything–other than dangerous things such as knives, scissors, etc., from the child’s reach (that’s plain common sense).

They should be taught early on, not to touch certain things. They should be taught that certain things are off-limits.

▪ DO NOT allow back talk, not even in a jokingly manner (temper tantrums either). Children are smart. They know just how far they can go with us–and they will push to the very limit if allowed. The moment your child talks back or throws a fit, correct it immediately!  In the long run, they will respect you more. Remember…You’re the Mom, not the child next door (it’s a matter of respect).

Don’t be a passive parent. Don’t allow your child to do whatever they wish, without correcting the wrong behavior. There is a danger in this style of parenting as time goes on. Begin commanding respect EARLY!

▪ Pray and play with your little ones often. This builds a strong bond of trust, and a love for the Lord.

▪ Teach them to always say PLEASE, THANK YOU, YES MA’AM/NO MA’AM. Allowing your child to omit these “magic” words at an early age, can breed a rebellious spirit when they get older, which in turn, the child will have a much harder time respecting you or any other authority in the long run (sorry ladies, but I’m old-fashioned).

Here are a few of my favorite resources on parenting.☺

1. Solve Family Problems by Dr. S.M. Davis (powerful CDs and DVDs on the home).

2. Making Home Work In a Broken Society by Paul Chappell (Pastor of Lancaster Baptist Church-a wonderful book on raising godly children).

3. To Train Up a Child by Michael & Debi Pearl (a great, practical book on child training).

There you have it! I hope this post will encourage someone today. Children are an heritage of the Lord (Psalm 127:3). They belong to God, and we have the privilege of leading these tiny people back to the Lord someday. It’s our responsibility to train them for the glory of God!😊

Are you struggling with parenting your little ones? Do you often feel overwhelmed? Rest assured, you’re not alone. God is there! Pray and ask Him for wisdom in training your children. I’d love to hear how this post has helped you. Feel free to leave a comment.

Until next time…Happy Parenting!❤