Creative Correction
Discipline—it was the thing I dreaded most about becoming a parent. God blessed us with the ideal girl with whom to experience the joys and frustrations of discipline. But what happens when time-out and spankings do not work anymore? I heard about this book, Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel, on the radio. As a mother of three, Whelchel had felt the need for a practical book on discipline stemming from the principles in God’s Word.
Whelchel invites the reader to visit the everyday happenings, good and bad, of her household. She is honest and quite creative in handling situations as they arrive. Ideas from other parents and grandparents are also pooled together in this resourceful book.
Every chapter includes thoughts about various child-rearing topics such as sibling conflict and obedience. After each section, Whelchel includes a “toolbox,” a reference section of categorized Bible verses, prayers and practical punishment and/or correction ideas. Each of these is cross-referenced to the stories and discussions within the chapters as well as being included in the topical index at the conclusion of the book. Ideally, this book could be used when one comes across a certain struggle, such as lying. By looking up lying in the index, one would find page numbers leading to an assortment of ideas of how to teach the importance of telling the truth.
The book ends with a detailed look into one day in the Whelchel household. It was fun to relate to someone else’s “not so great” day. She stresses “not to expect too much from a few new ideas.” She realizes that every family, every parent, every child is different, so we cannot put our all hope in these ideas. But I know I’m willing to try a few of these, trusting that God will help me and give me strength to handle each new situation in parenthood. As Whelchel states, “Fortunately, God can continue to mold our kids even after we’ve tried everything. He can use us in our weaknesses, whether or not we feel we’re being effective parents.”
-Amy Gielow