Streams of Mercy, Never Ceasing
Posted by TulipGirl | Under Mommy-Inspiration Files, Theology for Girls Sunday Jul 26, 2009“I try not to meddle in the parenting of others. It’s their business, but I obviously have my opinions. I mostly have oppositions to the ‘Christian Parenting’ giants who like to write books making generalizations about how to parent my child unto godliness, all the while knowing nothing about me.
I don’t just disagree with their methods, I disagree with their theology and their lack of discretion. How do they know to whom they are teaching? How do they know their methods are being properly prescribed?
And mostly, how can they not see that this method of ‘discipline’ obscures the person and work of Christ when a parent cannot forgive their child until there has been punishment for their sins? Are not our Christian children under the Fount of Grace as much as we are?”
More for the mommy-inspiration files, thanks to devona via MbG.
Throughout our ten years of parenting (not long … but long enough in some ways) almost five children, I have learned that it is so good to be immersed in the Bible and to hear lots of different points of view. Not one person will have it all right … nor will any one person be able to speak into every situation with your own child/ren. So, having a lot of background to pull from is so helpful. I think that is why I disliked the Ezzo method with those presumptuous thoughts that they knew the right way for every parent and child. And by playing the God card, it really makes people feel inferior.
I so agree with that “fount of grace” comment. I felt encouraged to parent by the Ezzos as if our children were under the Law and yet we, ourselves, were not. I don’t understand the perfect outworking of that, but I’m trying to.
And I’m trying to make sure I connect with my children since I think that the philosophies from the Ezzos tend to produce in me a pushing away of my children. I don’t like that.
I remember trying out a class from their series once. My husband asked one of the teenage children what they themselves thought of GKGW. Their answer made us shy far away from the program. They felt that the program itself was more important than they the children. And the parents gushing over and over again how “next to Jesus” this was the best thing that ever happened to them … oh it didn’t sit well with us. That was just our experience. Our friends took the class without ill effects and were able to leave plenty of it behind happily.
I don’t like the feeling of formula parenting. It leaves the child behind. That’s the feeling I got from them … of course, it’s not perhaps everyone’s experience. But I have to admit, I wish I had actually never heard of them.
Good to view you back. And again with the interesting post.