Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with promise), SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.
Ephesians 6:1-3

You may have noticed that two-year-olds don’t usually read very much. That’s why I really doubt that the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write the above with the intention of getting it before the eyes of the saint’s little tots. No, I believe this teaching is something for parents to understand and to which they must respond accordingly.

As soon as children are old enough to be able to respond to their parents influence (even before they are walking and talking), they are able to learn the concept of authority. But response to authority doesn’t come naturally; children must be deliberately taught, and then trained in this ‘life extending’ discipline.

‘No’ is one of the first words they learn, but they will only understand it according to the way those they hear it from enforce it. For example, let’s say they pull themselves up to an end table, and are about to reach for one of mother’s pretties. Hearing ‘no, no’ for the first time will likely give them pause. They may look at you, trying to interpret your meaning, but then go ahead and follow their inner desire to reach for the tempting object. When you gently, but firmly pull their hand away from the object, you are training them to understand the meaning of ‘no’. Of course you may have to repeat yourself a time or two, but that’s your job as a parent.

Proverbs 22:6 says, Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it. This passage makes at least a couple of very important things clear. First, children can be trained in righteousness. Woo Hoo! They don’t have to grow up willy-nilly and turn out however the whims of chance and fortune determine. Secondly, this training will stay with them, making a profound difference in how their lives turn out. Accordingly, research has always shown that parents are the most influential people in their children’s lives.

Proverbs is chock-full of such encouraging instruction for parents. It also says such things like, The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother (29:15). And another, Correct your son, and he will give you comfort; he will also delight your soul (29:17). Still more, Do not hold back discipline from the child, although you strike him with the rod, he will not die; You shall strike him with the rod and rescue his soul from Sheol (23:13-14).
Marty Kessler