Mothering Tip

My Bible Study leader passed this out last year and I found it interesting and had a few good tips.

Suzanna Wesley, mother of John and Charles Wesley, had 19 children (!). Ten of them lived to adulthood. She found an unusual way to be alone with God each day. She would flip her apron up over her head and the children knew not to bother her because she was praying. She prayed each day for one hour, and she also committed to spending time with each child for spiritual training for one hour each week.
Here are the sixteen rules Suzanna established over 200 years ago for rearing children:

1. Eating between meals is not allowed. (this is one I could never do!)
2. As children, they are to be in bed by 8 pm.
3. They are required to take medicine without complaining. (Not too hard these days since it all tastes like candy)
4. They are to subdue their self-will so that they might be open to God's salvation.
5. Teach a child to pray as soon as he can speak.
6. Require all to be still during Family Worship. ( I am impressed she did this with 19 while I struggle with 2)
7. Give them nothing they cry for, and only that which they ask for politely. (Good advice)
8. To prevent lying, punish no fault which is first confessed and repented.
9. Never allow a sinful ct to go unpunished.
10. Commend and reward good behavior.
11. Never punish a child twice for a single offense.
12. Any attempt to pleas, even if poorly performed should be commended.
13. Preserve property rights, even in smallest matters.
14. Strictly observe all promises.
15. Require no daughter to work before she can read well.
16. Teach children to reverence God.

I thought the majority of these are very applicable for today. In fact, some of them sound like advice in new books! She was a wise woman.