The Real Value of Learning to Obey

Children need to learn to obey, but not just to make their parents’ lives easier. We don’t teach kids to obey merely for our own convenience. We teach obedience because hidden within that character quality are a number of principles that will help children to be successful as they get older.

When children learn obedience, they learn to think about others. They learn to be a little less selfish. They learn to consider what other people want and how to please them. They learn to submit to authority. Obedience involves learning to do what you’re asked even when you think you have a better way. The person who has leaned obedience knows how to listen to an instruction, how to follow through without being watched, and how to check back when the job is done.

The children who learn obedience when they’re young will make better employees when they get older. Furthermore, they will be happier and enjoy life more.

We’re not talking about blind obedience here. We want our children to learn to evaluate instructions; but evaluating instructions is an advance skill. First children must learn cooperation; otherwise they end up believing that every time they don’t like a request, they are justified to resist it. These children remain selfish and grow up to be whiners and complainers, not able to receive an instruction without an argument.

God knew what he was doing when he gave the instruction to children to ‘obey your parents.’ He knew that leaning obedience when they’re young would pay off greatly as they get older.

from Home Improvement. The Parenting Book You Can Read to Your Kids by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller

Now that school is back in full swing, here are a few quotes about education to stimulate your thinking too!

An educational system isn’t worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn’t teach them how to make a life.

Don’t call it an education unless it has taught you life’s true values.

It is a thousand times better to have common sense without an education than to have an education without common sense.

A person should have enough education so they don’t have to look up to anyone. They should also have enough to be wise enough not to look down on anyone.

"I love fall! Fall is exciting.
It's apples and cider.
It's an airborne spider.
It's pumpkins in bins.
It's burrs on dog's chins.
It's wind blowing leaves.
It's chilly red knees.
It's nuts on the ground.
It's a crisp dry sound.
It's green leaves turning
And the smell of them burning.
It's clouds in the sky.
It's fall. That's why...
I love fall."
- Author Unknown