25 Ways to Provoke Our Children to Anger
As parents, fathers in particular, we need to heed God’s Word from Ephesians 6:4. Of course, this is not to say that all of our children’s anger is caused by us; each of our children is personally responsible for his or her own sin. However, this instruction from God is here for a reason. One of the ways our sinful flesh displays itself is by provoking others to anger. And the easiest place to do that is in our own home.
What are the most common ways we as fathers do this? Here’s a helpful list from Lou Priolo.
- Lack of marital harmony
- Establishing and maintaining a child-centered home
- Modeling sinful anger
- Habitually disciplining in anger
- Scolding
- Being inconsistent with discipline
- Having double standards
- Being legalistic
- Not admitting you’re wrong and not asking for forgiveness
- Constantly finding fault
- Parents reversing God-given roles
- Not listening to your child’s opinion or taking his or her ‘side of the story’ seriously
- Comparing them to others
- Not making time ‘just to talk’
- Not praising or encouraging your child
- Failing to keep your promises
- Chastening in front of others
- Not allowing enough freedom
- Allowing too much freedom
- Mocking your child
- Abusing them physically
- Ridiculing or name calling
- Unrealistic expectations
- Practicing favoritism
- Child training with worldly methodologies inconsistent with God’s Word
This list is from one of my Top 10 Recommended Counseling Resources and a great parenting book: The Heart of Anger by biblical counselor, Lou Priolo.
*Note Lou Priolo is an author, speaker, and biblical counselor at Eastwood Presbyterian Church in Montgomery, AL. If you would like to read Lou’s writing, visit him at this link: www.loupriolo.com
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