Rules to Live By

Yesterday I detailed the way we do discipline in our home and I got a lot of REALLY good feedback!

I do need to confess one thing though. I forgot to mention that for a period of time, before finding out my son's latest diagnosis my husband and I were at our wits end as far as discipline goes and started using a wooden spoon for his spankings. We called it "The Boss". We used The Boss for about three months (I even kept a tiny one in my purse for when we were out and about).

After we got E's latest diagnosis, I confessed to my husband how bad I felt using that spoon on him and that I'd like to go back to using only our hands. Come to find out, David felt the same way.

I had never considered what Mandy said, though:

"We spank. With a soft belt. To me, using my hand is too close to hitting, while the belt is able to be associated with the spankings, I don't want them to associate my hands with that, if you get my meaning."

So, the conversation over using our hands vs. using something else is back on the table in the Kennedy home.

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After detailing how discipline works in our home I thought it would be good to follow up with the rules of our home.

When David and I sat down to discuss rules and consequences we wanted to make a point to Ethan that we are simply representatives from God and that all of the rules in our home come from the Word of God. We also tried to pair each of our rules with a "put off" and a "put on" or, if you prefer, a pairing "don't do this" with a "do this instead".

Here's our list:

1. No hurting other people. All bitterness, anger and wrath, insult and slander must be removed from you, along with all wickedness. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. -Ephesians 4:31-32

2. Obey Dad and Mom. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, because this is right. - Ephesians 6:1

3. Do not lie. Since you put away lying, Speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. - Ephesians 4:25

4. Do not steal. The thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. - Ephesians 4:28

5. No mean words. No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear. - Ephesians 4:29

I know the verses are a little on the long and deep side but they need to be; not only are they for Ethan they are for David and I, too! We are careful to recite these verses to Ethan on a level that he understands and can memorize.

So, there you have it. The rules of the Kennedy home.