Ditching Parenting Books!

Since chucking all our parenting books in favor of solely relying on the Bible as our parenting guide, a couple of things have occurred to me.  First of all, if you're interested, I wrote a couple of posts on ditching the parenting books here and here .

What I've learned:
1) The focus on learning styles has really messed us up as parents.  All the time my pal and I were discussing what parenting tricks would work best for our kids and their styles - what would our kids respond to?  So because we were reading parenting books that touted different parenting tricks for different behaviors and different kids, we lost the focus on the behavior that needed changing.  We were focused on what was working or not working (really, nothing "worked."  That was why we kept looking for new books!), and what other books we could find that would give us more parenting tricks that might work better at changing behavior.  I personally never stuck with anything from all those books which made me inconsistent with my children. 

2)  Since picking up the Bible with my kids and using it as my one and only parenting tool, I realize that learning styles have little or nothing to do with the plain fact that my kids are sinners in need of someone to tell them that.  In a nice way, of course.  ;-)  I don't need some special tricks or mantras when I pull out our Bible to chat with my kids about their problems with anger, laziness, lying, & etc.  The Bible gives my kids all the info they need about how God loves them and what He expects from His children.  The Bible is ENOUGH.  What does Psalm 119:9 say?  "How can a young man cleanse his way?  By taking heed according to Your Word."

3)  I don't know my Bible as well as I wish I did!  ;-)  I rely heavily on For Instructions in Righteousness from Doorposts.  This book has all the behaviors you'll ever come across in your kids referenced with scriptures pertaining to each.  What a blessing it has been.

4)  God is merciful and makes promises to us struggling parents.  Philippians 1:6 comes to mind.  "...He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."  I trust that He will lead my children in His ways as they hear His Word and it is a relief to know that He has them in His hands and is working on their hearts and minds in a way that I never could with parenting tricks.