Telephone Game

Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad.

Proverbs 29:17

REMEMBER THE GAME you played in school where everybody formed a line and the teacher whispered a message into the first person’s ear? As the message was passed along, it usually got messed up and garbled before it reached the last person.

That same thing is true today with kids and cell phones—the message is getting garbled. Trends show that parents are buying their children cell phones at younger and younger ages. However, many parents aren’t united in how to handle the challenges that a cell phone brings into their home.

As parents, it’s our responsibility to establish boundaries. When our children hit different milestones (first cell phone, first date, getting a driver’s license), we should already have a plan worked out about the rules. Some parents even come up with a contract that everybody signs before allowing their children certain privileges, such as a cell phone.

The Bible tells us to “discipline your children, and they will bring you peace of mind and will make your heart glad” (Proverbs 29:17). Discipline, whether in the sense of punishment or in a careful and deliberate approach to a situation, brings stability. Our children need to know where the boundaries are and what the consequences will be for stepping over the line. Make sure your children get the message loud and clear—not like kids at the end of the line in the telephone game.

BOTTOM LINE

Having discipline in your home brings peace of mind for you and your child. Are there areas where you need to provide better boundaries?

Moment of Strength: Proverbs 16:21