Reality discipline is a great tool. It shows our kids the decisions they make will affect their lives directly. Case in point, B should never happen before A.1 In other words, if your daughter is supposed to clean the upstairs bathroom on Saturday but decides to put it off, that decision shouldn’t allow her to do something with her teenage friends when the bathroom’s not been cleaned yet. The response is, “No, we’re not doing that tonight”—then, just walk away. Now, don’t tell your kids what you’re doing because it’s better if they see it for themselves. But don’t lose your cool either. Remember we’re working together to help each other deepen our relationships with each other, which will lead to opportunities to talk about God’s amazing grace.

1This Parent Minute is based in part on “Simple Strategies for Effective Discipline” by Dr. Kevin Leman, FocusontheFamily.com

Suggested Reading: Titus 2:11-14