Help with consistent discipline

A while back I mentioned a chart I had on my fridge and that I would explain it later. Well, I thought I would let you know more about it today. It is called an If-Then Chart.

Do you ever find yourself frustrated over trying to figure out what kind of consequence to give your children for things like disobeying, arguing, defiance, etc.? Well, this chart helps take the frustration out of coming up with a consistent discipline. And it gives you a scripture verse to teach your children about why that behavior should be corrected.

Here's a quote from the Titus 2 website on how it helped them.

The If/Then Chart was one of the most instrumental tools we found for helping us deal consistently with our children's misbehavior. Before using the If/Then Chart, Teri would often become angry with the children when they were doing something they shouldn't or not doing what they should. She knew they needed a consequence but wouldn't know what a reasonable one would be. Therefore, there were times she gave no consequence when she should have and other times when the consequence was stronger than it should have been.

The If/Then Chart changed all that. Steve and Teri sat down, discussed, and prayed about consequences. They added behavior their children needed help with that wasn't on the chart, and they chose their own verses for some of the sections. Because they had a wide age range of children, for a while they had younger children consequences and older children consequences. Before Teri laminated her chart and started using dry erase markers to fill in the consequences, she wrote the consequences on small sticky notes so she could change them if necessary.

When a child misbehaved, Teri took the child to the chart, read the problem, verse, and consequence. It was all laid out for her, which helped her be consistent and not be angry with the children when they needed correction. She loved using the If/Then Chart.

I do have to confess that I've been waiting to have my chart laminated so I haven't used it to it's fullest extent. I just take the kids over to it, read over the scripture verse that coincides with their behavior and we talk, then I give them a consequence for their wrong behavior. Since I haven't written on my chart or used sticky notes, I haven't always been consistent. I guess after this post I will have to change and get mine laminated and ready to be used like it should.

I am so thankful to have the chart. It has been a great help (the times I've used it). You can order yours from the Titus 2 website for $6. Go to www.titus2.com then type "If-Then chart" in the search box. Hope you find it as helpful as I have.