Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students - Ellen G. White

of her children. Tell your children exactly what you
require of them. Then let them understand that your
word must be obeyed. Thus you are training them
to respect the commandments of God, which
plainly declare, “Thou shalt,” and “Thou shalt not.”
Few parents begin early enough to teach their
children to obey. The child is usually allowed to
get two or three years the start of its parents, who
forbear to discipline it, thinking it too young to
learn to obey. But all this time self is growing
strong in the little being, and every day makes
harder the parent’s task of gaining control. At a
very early age children can comprehend what is
plainly and simply told them, and by kind and
judicious management can be taught to obey.
Never should they be allowed to show their parents
disrespect. Self-will should never be permitted to
go unrebuked. The future well-being of the child
requires kindly, loving, but firm discipline.
There is a blind affection that gives the children
the privilege of doing as they please. But to allow a
child to follow his natural impulses is to allow him
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