(^) On many occasions I have asked groups of parents what portion of
their parenting communication was done through rules, correction,
and punishment rather than these richer forms of communication.
Most parents will quickly acknowledge that 80 to 90 percent of their
communication is rules, correction, and punishment.
Types of Communication
(^) Communication must be multifaceted and richly textured. It must
include encouragement, correction, rebuke, entreaty, instruction,
warning, teaching, and prayer. All of these must be part of your
interaction with your children.
(^) Paul instructs you in 1 Thessalonians 5 to modify your speech to
suit the need of the moment: “Warn those who are idle, encourage the
timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone” (1 Thessalonians
5:14). Paul’s point is that differing conditions in the hearer require
differing forms of speaking. You do great harm when you fail to
discern what type of communication is appropriate to the moment.
(^) I recall making the mistake of sharply rebuking one of my sons
for looking sloppy. He was 7 or 8. It seemed to me that he looked as
though he was always disheveled. I was not wrong for talking with
barré
(Barré)
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