How We Teach the Habit of Obedience

The habit of ‘obedience’ is one of the top three habits that Charlotte Mason talked about most. The other two are ‘attention’ and ‘truthfulness’.

I believe every parent naturally teaches obedience by the time the child is one year old. Now my son is six, I would like to sit down with him and formally talk about obedience. I wanted to make obedience a top priority, even more important than academics.

Personal Goal

• My child to desire and practice cheerful and prompt obedience.

Self Reminders

• Never give a command that I do not intend to see carried out to the full.
• Be gracious with my child as he learns how to decide well.
• Be careful of giving too many commands that my child may feel pestered.
• I may give reasons for my commands when appropriate and helpful.
• Practice speaking in a positive, firm voice when giving a command.
• Teach my child to appeal respectfully when he feels strongly that he is right.

Resources

OUR MENU FOR THE WEEK
(10 minutes per day)

Introduction

Read and discuss the definition of obedience.

• Submitting to the restraint or command of authority
• A behavior that is respectful of laws and rules

Share a few reasons why obedience is an important habit to learn.

• Obedience helps to keep you safe.
• Obedience helps you to be kind and thoughtful.
• Obedience helps you to learn from those who know more than you.
• A child who learns to make himself do what he should, even when he doesn’t feel like it, will be able to accomplish much in this life.

Communicate my expectation with my son.

It is expected that obedience will occur the first time a command is spoken.

Character and Bible

Read the biblical principle found in Ephesians 6:1-3.

Children are directly spoken to in this passage and are commanded to obey their parents.

Introduce and do copywork of this week’s Bible verses.

Memory work

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Ephesians 6:1

Read Genesis 22:1-19.

The story of Abraham’s Sacrifice shows how obedience leads to growing your trust in a loving, faithful God. And that God will give us far more than we can imagine when we obey Him fully.

Read Jonah 1:1-2:10.

Sometimes, our children can feel that they are the only ones who struggle with disobedience. This story shows that even a powerful prophet like Jonah who walked with God, can struggle with disobedience.

Library Connection

Read

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

Narrate

Ask my son to narrate, expecting him to practice obedience instead of disobeying.

Discuss

Peter Rabbit really struggled with obedience in the story.

Ask my son: What dangers do you think Peter Rabbit would have avoided if he had been obedient to his mother’s instruction?