Title: Train Up A Child
Author: Tim Brooks
Type: Non-fiction
Published: 2015
Pages: 119
Type: Non-fiction
Published: 2015
Pages: 119
A few months ago I was talking with my brother-in-law about raising children, specifically about age appropriate ways to discipline them. Not that I have been having any issues disciplining my kids, I just wanted a different perspective. He shared with me different examples of his personal experiences with his children, and then recommended that I read “Train Up A Child” by Tim Brooks. It’s based off the scripture Proverbs 22:6 which reads, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Train Up a Child is a Christian parenting book that provides practical ways that can guarantee successful outcome in parenting. Pastor Tim Brooks explains how important it is for parents to train their child in the way that they should go and that parents are responsible for providing the training.
There are four stages to child rearing that he discusses in the book:
1. Discipline
2. Training
3. Coaching
4. Friend/Mentor
I liked that Pastor Brooks is very straight-forward with his instruction. The examples that he used were very relatable and he gave insight on what methods to do in order to see a better outcome in each stage. As of mother of three children, ages 4, 2, and 9 months, I have learned a lot of practical ways to better discipline and teach my children to hopefully, become adults who “bears fruit, that is productive and is a beneficial too many.” I liked all the practical examples that he shared in the book, but since my kids are currently in the discipline stage because of their age, I will share a practical example that he gave in the book.
Brooks shared the age range within each child rearing stage:
“There are four clear stages in child rearing. If they are no followed precisely, rebellion will be fueled into the lives of their children by parents not operating within these stages and not teaching the lessons to be learned during each stage.
Age Birth—–5 Discipline
Age 6——-12 Training
Age 13——18 Coaching
Age 19———-Friend/Mentor
Discipline:
Brooks gives two scenarios of the different ways we program our children at the discipline stage.
“When a child is screaming, make sure they are not hurting or in need. Calmly say, ‘I am cooking supper right now. You will have to wait.’ Then, to use the phrase your grandma used in child rearing, you can say, ‘If you keep crying, I’ll give you something to cry about.’ Too often parents say, ‘I just can’t stand to see him/her cry,’ so they jump at every whimper. If you do this, know you are programming a very hard to control and soon to be two-year-old. Watch this two-or three-year-old who has been trained to throw a fit the nest time you are standing in the check-out line at the grocery store with the fully stocked candy racks right beside you.” (p.20)
When the discipline stage is faulty it can cause problems in the other stages of a child’s life. Without properly discipline your child you can fast-froward to the teenage years and will produce a difficult teenager. Another example:
“…They now have a teenager who during their early years was the center of the home and everybody jumped when they threw a fit. When a child who is two, three or four years old and is not disciplined and not made to do what they are told without arguing, parents can expect a daily fight through the teenage years.” (p.19)
What do you think just reading that?
Overall, Train up a Child was an interesting and unique read as I learned some new practical principles to pass down to my very own children right now. I would recommend this book to all parents especially Christian parents who are looking for new innovative ways to train and teach their children according go Gods stanardard.
For more information about Tim Books or Train up a child visit:
cmchurch.com
appliedlife.com
brookhillranch.com
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