This Hurts Me More than it Hurts You

As Jake was holding Abigail and I was digging a huge splinter out of her hand tonight, I couldn't help but think of the phrase "This hurts me more than it hurts you." As she was screaming, "This isn't making it better, it's making blood" I knew I just had to keep going to get all the pieces out. And afterwards she was thrilled to get a bandage and said that it was all better now. I think I was still shaking for ten minutes afterwards.
This also got me thinking about discipline. I never really understood the magnitude of the task set before us as parents until Isaac was nearing two years old and I really started with discipline. Of course now that I know better we start spankings and time-outs and loss of privileges much earlier than that 18-24 month mark. It just really hit me hard at that time in Isaac's life that God had blessed me with this child. And he has a soul that as his parents we have to prepare and set his foot on the path to heaven. I think discipline is one of the hardest things for a parent to do. Especially when you start to read too many parenting books and with the advent of online parenting groups the discussions on disciplining are endless. As for me I've decided I'm just going to stick with God and His book. I know He'll never lead me astray. So for all those reading now and for my kids who will hopefully be reading this blog in the future, here is just a small amount of what the Bible has to say on discipline and rearing children.
Proverbs 4:1-4 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
Proverbs 13:24 He that spareth the rod hateth his son, but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Proverbs 23:13-14 withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
Hebrews 12: 5-11 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, where of all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yeildeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.