Book Review: Teach Them Diligently

So I'm reading Teach Them Diligently by Lou Priolo. It's "how to use the scriptures in child training." It was a slooooow start for me. I love the Pearl's works (To Train Up a Child), but this was just hard to get into. I think because it often uses big words. It's been awhile since I had to use big words. But I kept hearing good reviews. So I just kept plugging away. After a little effort, I started to get into it. I keep it in the bathroom (so don't ask to borrow it, ha!) with a red pen for marking. Otherwise, it would get misplaced, reshelved, or buried under the mounds of STUFF that accumulates on the countertop. Anyway, here are a few things that i would like to remember this week:

* In regards to wasting time, remembering "if God, who is perfect, runs His affairs according to a schedule, it would be unwise to believe that {we} can get by without one." I'm great at creating schedules. Gotta work on following them!

* "I'm sorry" isn't good enough - if possible, we need to rectify the situation - make it right again. Replace broken/lost items, asking for forgiveness, etc.

* In 1891, H. Clay Trumbull wrote in his book Hints on Child Training that the meaning of "scold" is similar to "that of barking or howling" and that it is "always an expression of a bad spirit and of a loss of temper." And here's what we all know but sometimes forget: "If a child has done wrong, a child needs talking to; but no parent ought to talk to a child while that parent is unable to talk in a natural tone of voice, and with carefully measured words...the parent's first duty is to gain self-control."

* for every 1 reproof, offer 7 genuine praises

* "Your wording should rather focus on the severity of committing such a sin against God." Sometimes it's easy to point out how their actions affect other people (namely their siblings), but it is important to recognize the sin against God as well. I know whenever we remember to have them pray to God to request forgiveness, that's when they seem to be more aware of the consequences of their words/actions.

* "don't try to convict your child of sin when you are more angry because he has sinned against you than you are because he sinned aginst God." Ouch!

* Priolo also points out the necessity of using bilbical terminology when conviting others of their sins. Good point. The Bible is hard enough to relate to everyday life for a 3 year old. How much easier must it be if we can use the same vocabulary as the Bible...continuity. Plus, when we use that language, then they learn the language and will understand it better for themselves later.

*And, last for now...Priolo offers mock conversations throughout his book that are very helpful to "hear" how the training may occur. One such conversation discusses his realization that he (author) became "really angry when other people wasted {his} time, especially {his} spare time." He tied that to becoming a "lover of pleasure." Wow. I hadn't really made that connection before. It really hit home for me because I have begun to recognize that same anger when the children do not nap well. When they take a bit to go down, or get up too early, I become frustrated that my time to do xyz has been interrupted. Sometimes I just wanted to veg on the computer. Most of the time it's finishing this report or contacting clients or whatnot. But the main issue was that it was MY time. When instead I should recognize that it is all God's time and He has allowed me the privilege of completing what I am able to complete for that time period. After all, He has blessed me with children and has trusted me to provide for their physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. That's difficult to do when I am stressing about MY time. When I want something more than I should, that is what creates the sinful anger.

Well, as I mentioned, I still have more to read, more to sort out. But so far...it's been a good book to bring home truths I already knew but needed to apply as well as some concepts I had yet to consider.