Author Elyse Fitzpatrick’s paradigm of teaching through grace could inspire you to start parenting in a totally new direction—and it could impact more than just your children! Today on Home School Heartbeat, she joins host Mike Smith with some good news for weary parents.
Mike Smith:
This week, Elyse, you’ve been talking about how grace-based, rather than rule-based, parenting makes a tremendous difference for children. How does this shift in foundation affect the parent, though?
Elyse Fitzpatrick:
Thanks Mike, this is actually the happiest news of all. As we’ve talked with parents about grace-driven parenting, we’ve seen something really wonderful begin to happen in their lives. Parents are being freed from the crushing burden of trying to carry the sole responsibility for their children’s salvation, and have been liberated to really enjoy their kids. When we focus primarily on the law, we become nitpicky and all the time looking for sin or disobedience in our kids. It sets up an us-versus-them mentality; we think, “Oh, I can’t believe they acted like that! Why can’t they be more like us?” On the other hand, when we focus on grace, we’re able to partner with them in the war against unbelief and sin because we’re living as forgiven, adopted, and justified sons and daughters who desperately need grace too. It makes us “grace detectives” rather than “sin-sniffers.” This is a wonderful freedom that comes to a parent who recognizes that salvation is of the Lord and there is only one good Parent and one good Son.
Mike:
Thanks, Elyse, this is really good stuff, as we know parenting is truly a life-transforming task. And until next time, I’m Mike Smith.
