9. How Gentle God's Commands: 5 Principles for Instructing Your Children

Giving instructions can be stressful for some parents—especially those of us who are trying to be respectful and conscious in how we communicate with our kids. How can we clearly communicate what we want without being overly controlling or domineering? And how do we respond when our children don't immediately obey?The good news is, God gives us an excellent example of how to give instructions clearly, directly, AND gently. He shows us that is possible to be straightforward and kind. He's the perfect example of teaching clearly AND respecting our agency.So I'm laying out five principles that I see in the scripture that demonstrate how God instructs His children, and that I think we can apply in our own parenting:Use positive languageStraightforward, not beggingDelivery is tailored to the child's needs and timingNever hypocriticalNot emotionally attached to immediate resultsResources:No Bad Kids by Janet LansburyHunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen DoucleffScripture References:Exodus 20:3–20Matthew 5Matthew 6