At the end of a shopping trip to Walmart, author Karis Kimmel Murray stopped by the shoe aisle with her daughter, Riley, who decided that she’d been sitting patiently in the cart long enough.
Karis allowed Riley to walk beside her, but Riley didn’t just want out of the cart, she wanted out of the store. And Karis stood between her and that goal.
To express her displeasure, Riley walked from one end of the shoe aisle to the other with her arms outstretched, knocking off every box of shoes within reach.
What’s the best approach for handling a situation like that?
If you choose one course of action, it’s punishment. Handle it another way, and it’s discipline.
Karis Kimmel Murray is with us on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Disciplining Your Kids with Grace” to share how to distinguish between the two.
Grace is central to good parenting. When God disciplines us, His motivation isn’t to vindictively punish us but to propel us forward into greater growth and deeper character. Grace-based parenting takes a similar approach.
Dr. Tim Kimmel, Karis’s father, says, “A relationship without rules leads to resentment.”
Children raised without boundaries are less likely to become productive adults who respond appropriately to authority, follow rules, and live with self-discipline. The value of grace-based parenting is that it strikes a healthy balance between your rules and your relationship with your child.
Hear Karis’ practical tips for responding appropriately when your child misbehaves on your local radio station, online, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, via Google Podcasts, or on our free phone app. Karis’ book Grace Based Discipline: How to Be at Your Best When Your Kids Are at Their Worst is available for a gift of any amount. Click here for more information or call 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).
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