Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

asic family unit, and Eve was to be his helper, complementingand following his leadership in the home. Youcan read here how well they did, and how poorly.""What do you think, then, about discipline?" Ruthasked. "Whose job is it? Sometimes I think my childrenhave the idea that Dad is just a big bear who comes homeat night to growl at them. I guess because I used to tell himeach day, as soon as he came in the door, all the things theboys had done wrong, and he would start yelling at them. Itry not to now, but what about discipline! Whose job isit?"They all appreciated this problem of Ruth's (itsounded so familiar!) and attacked it with gusto. Helentried to point out that this is another area where Dad mustgive the primary leadership, but that he and Mothershould be working together to teach and show thechildren right and wrong. "Above all," she said, "theremust be such an attitude of love that the child knows he isloved, even when punished. In fact, it doesn't hurt to pointout that because we love, we must punish wrongdoing. Ina small way, this is God the Father's attitude toward Hischildren.""Right!" said Laura. "And of course punishmentvaries with the offense and must be thought out carefully.Parents should agree on what punishments to use indisciplining their children.""Yes," said Helen, "there must be a togetherness asmother and father attempt to carry out the responsibilitiesGod has given them. They can make this evident in thehome by their attitude of love toward one another andtoward each of their children."Let's turn from Genesis to Ephesians, chapter 6, thefirst few verses," Helen now suggested. "I think this clearlypoints out Dad's responsibilities here, to mix the rightamount of discipline with the right amount of love, whileat the same time avoiding an abnormal amount of angerand rebellion in the children. I say abnormal because, asyou who have children know, a certain amount of angerand rebellion is normal, necessary, and even healthy.""What do you all think about TV?" Jane suddenlyasked. "What kinds of shows are good for them? Arecartoons really harmful?""I need another cup of coffee if we're going to talkabout that," Sue exclaimed, and Joyce agreed. A fewminutes were spent refilling cups, and someone went tocheck on things in the playroom, where the pre-schoolerswere keeping each other amused. "All is well," Janereported, and they settled down to resume the discussion."I think TV comes under the heading of being both amoral problem and an intellectual one," said Joyce,deciding to be brave and enter into the conversation eventhough she had no children."Ouch! How do you mean that?" Sue asked."Well, ... I think . . . (Joyce began hesitantly, butthen plunged in) . . . depending on what you watch, orwhat you let your children watch, morally it could be goodor bad. On the intellectual level, one can put all sorts ofstimulating programs in front of the children, from news,significant history both old and in the making, to .. . to . . .8well, excellent musical concerts, and the many scientificprojects that have been on, like Gemini; or a puppet showfor pure entertainment. I think if you choose carefully,your children can have a real intellectual feast right intheir own home.""I agree," said Helen, "and starting there, a fathercan share many interests with his children, and by buildingone experience on another lead them into new awarenessand curiosity about the world we live in, thus raising theirintellectual sights. Perhaps watching a science programwill be enough to start them studying maps, exploring,collecting rocks, studying the stars, or some similar thing.Dad teaches by example by showing an interest insomething they can share and enjoy doing together. Ifonly more fathers would see the importance of spendingsome time with their children, enthusiastically interestedin what their children are interested in, families would bebetter, and ultimately the fiber and structure of the wholecountry would be better!""You know, that's true, Helen. We were having anawful time with Tommy this year," Ruth began. "He is inthe fourth grade now. Don and I had to go up to the schoolto talk with his teacher a couple of times. She suggestedthat it would help Tommy tremendously if Don wouldspend more time with him, perhaps just helping with hishomework evenings. Now Don actually does spendevenings with Tommy and Joe. He helps them with theirhomework, if they need it, and is even learning to playchess with them. Can you imagine it? The boys are happiernow, show much more respect for Don, and are just betterin every way. We are all happier." The glow on Ruth's facegave evidence of this."You know, girls," said Helen, "we haven't mentionedthe most important part of father's leadership.""What's that?" Jane asked."I mean the fact that father is the spiritual leader inthe home. This is definitely the most important part of hisleadership. If he does this right and well, all the others fallin line. What he thinks about God colors what he thinksand does about everything else. A father who, first of all,leads his family to realize that God is King, and that weserve Him in all we do, can also help his family to achievelesser goals in the right perspective, thereby helping eachmember of the family to find true happiness in this worldand the next. Such a father is fulfilling his responsibility toGod and to his family in the spiritual leadership he gives inthe home.""That's a big job," said Sue reflectively."Yes, it certainly is, Sue," said Helen, turning thepages of her Bible, "but if we look into the book ofDeuteronomy, chapter 6, verses 4-8, and again chapter 11,beginning at verse 18, we will see where God gave just thatresponsibility to fathers when he said, through Moses, '. ..you shall therefore lay up these words of mine in yourheart and in your soul; and shall bind them as a sign uponyour hand, and they shall be as frontlets between youreyes. And you shall teach them to your children, talking ofthem when you are sitting in your house, and when youare walking by the way, and when you lie down, and whenCOVENANTERWITNESS