How to Get Kids to Follow Directions with a Good Attitude

Hey there,

Have you ever told your child to do something and needed to repeat it multiple times before they got up and did it?

Or maybe they whined and moaned as they did it?

And when they did do it it wasn't done fully?

"Um, yes of course, B.J." is probably what you're thinking. Well we need to change that and it's not too hard to do (no really, I mean it). That's why I made this week's video.

This issue of getting kids to cooperate with our instructions is not about getting kids to do what we say. This is about the relationship we have with our child and whether or not cooperation is a part of it. There are much deeper heart issues going on here including nurturing our child's heart to follow instructions when they come from us as well as from others ... including Jesus.

1 Samuel 15:11 tells us that God is grieved that He ever made Saul king.

Wow! Saul's actions grieved God and His decision. What was it that Saul did that grieved God so much that He took the kingdom from him? Scripture tells us that God was grieved because Saul "has not followed my instructions".

Learning to follow a parent's instructions now is God's training ground for your child's heart to be ready to follow His instructions in the future. So yes, this is a big deal, and we need to work on it.

Not only that, but so many other things start moving in a positive direction in family life when cooperation is the default setting of the heart.

That's why I made this week's video.

All my best,

B.J.