The Super Nanny

The Super Nanny Who's watched The Super Nanny? I love it, it is a great show that implements and teaches rules, discipline, punishment, repentance and forgiveness. Thus transforming a household from being controlled by bad disobedient rebellious children to a household where children behave, obey and respect their parents authority. Two episodes ago the Super Nanny said "There is so much love in this house that it is destructive." And this has been a common theme through out each episode. It was destructive because the parents never set down the rules, they never punished their children and would let them get away with anything. The Super Nanny was horrified with the Childrens behaviour. She said "I've been a nanny for 15 years and I have never seen anything this bad." The mother laughed at that comment and asked "Reallly you've never seen anything worse." How did the Super Nanny help transform the naughty children to well behaved children? She got two pieces of paper. On these two pieces of paper she wrote down a daily routine which everyone in the house had to abide by and she also wrote down rules. She got the family together and explained what she had written and informed them that this was the standard they had to abide by. The nanny stayed in the house for the next 3 or so days or as long was needed to ensure that the routine and rules were followed. She was also there to train the parents on how to discipline and punish their bad behaving rebellious children. When the child misbehaved the nanny told the mother to explain to the children how they were misbehaving and how they should be behaving instead. The nanny told the mother to give the child a warning that if they did it again they would have to go to the naughty step. The child misbehaved again so the mother explained to the child what he had done and that he now needed to be punished and had to sit on the naughty step. The time spent on the naughty step was according to their age ie if they were 3 they spent 3 minutes. One child misbehaved so much that he spent up to 100 minutes on the naughty step. It hurt some parents to see their child being punished and some even broke into tears and said I can't do it anymore I can't be botherd. The nanny persisted that they keep on doing it this way as good results were already being seen in the child's behaviour. When the child had done his time he had to say sorry. When he said sorry he was allowed off the naughty step and the mother would hug him and say I love you. By the end of the week the child learnt that he was no longer in control that he was subject to his parents authority and he began to behave, respect and obey his parents. By the end of a week or two weeks which ever it was all the families were transformed from being dysfunctional families to being functional families. I think this is a prime example of modern evangelism. Many churches say dont give the unsaved law, don't condemn the unsaved (even though they are already condemned), don't tell the unsaved about hell or judgement. Rather many churches say you need to develop a friendship with them and love them for who they are. But the problem is there's so much love coming from the church to the unsaved that it is destructive. So they continue being disobedient and rebellious toward God. They continue being disobedient because the church is not setting down any laws or morals to live by. Just as the Super Nanny got two pieces of paper and wrote rules on it, God did the same with two tablets and wrote the ten commandments on it. Moses then explained the commandments to the Israelites and said this is the standard we need to live by. Jesus went further and he magnified the law (Sermon on the mount) making it harder to live by. The Bible also explains that if we do misbehave, if we do disobey God, if we are rebellious and violate the law we will have to go to the naughty step which is Hell. Thus when people learn the predicament they are in they will be sorrowful and contrite. When the cross, God's love, is explained to them they will repent and trust in Jesus. God will then be able to forgive them.

I've seen tiny excerpts of a UK version of this programme, I think. It is 'cringe' television, I think. ;-) However, I though I would just comment on a couple of your quotes:Two episodes ago the Super Nanny said "There is so much love in this house that it is destructive." And this has been a common theme through out each episode.One child misbehaved so much that he spent up to 100 minutes on the naughty step. It hurt some parents to see their child being punished and some even broke into tears and said I can't do it anymore I can't be botherd. Heb. 12:6 \tFor whom the LORD loves He chastens,\tAnd scourges every son whom He receives.”Heb. 12:7 ¶ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 'love' without discipline is mere sentiment. Love is always 'bothered'. :-)

Try spanking the kid for starters!I would like to add that "spanking" is probably the last resort and not the first.

Did anyone ever notice that when our grandparents where little or maybe even your time (depending on your age), children were not allowed to get away with disrespecting their elders. They were taught to respect their elders (anyone older then them). My grandmother told me stories about when she was about 8 or so, she told her mother no. She was then told to go outside and pick a switch, and her father gave her 8 wacks with that switch. When I was little I used to think that was harsh, but now that I have kids of my own I understand the logic. I don't use switches but, my hand and my kids behinds have met a few times. The problem I see now is that if you show any type of discipline then everyone wants to call child services on you. For example I was in the local grocery store about 4 yrs ago and my son who was then 3 was throwing the biggest tantrum in the middle of the aisle. I picked him up and gave him 3 good swats on the bottom (might I add he still was in diapers). This woman looks at me and said I am calling the police on you for child abuse. I told her to go ahead. All I told the police was that he was mis behaving and I spanked him. They looked at his arms and legs (they were looking for bruises,making sure that I wasn't actually abusing him) and said that I had every right to discipline my child as needed. So I guess what I am saying is that some parents find it easier to let their kids get away with stuff then to have to explain themselves to authorities.Proverbs 23:13+14 "Withhold not correction from the child: For if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell."I don't take that to mean litterally with a rod, but your hand or wooden spoon (ouch the memories) with do the same.

We are to train our children in the way of the Lord and when they are old they will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 God says that the rod will save a child's soul from hell.Pro 23:14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.I didn't write this...This is a difficult subject to tackle because it's so contorversal and the world thinks time outs for children are the way we are to discipline our children but a child left to himself is destined to destruction.We still have Dr. Spock in America who as taught parents of the 50,60,70 to be selfish and undiscipline and to not fear God. Look at our world today and the homes we live in...visit www.nogreaterjoy.org and learn from the example of the Pearls on how they have raised Godly children... The key is training, not discipline, and tying heart strings to our children's hearts so that discipline is a minor, not a major in the home.In Christ,Doug

How true. I think most if not all of us are guilty of spanking or yelling in the heat of the moment. I know that I have been guilty of that to just feel like dirt an hour or so later. May God give ALL of us more patience.

I like a quote from the movie Tombstone when Wyatt Earp says "You called down the thunder, well now it's here. You tell 'em I'm comin'... and hell's comin' with me!" ...my kids know when to run...mmm? I remember a time in my experience that God told me very plainly that he had called me to be a shepherd not a sheriff! :-D My kids knew when judgement was coming too. We had simple judicial process in which the crime was identified, the accused declared guilty, and then a clear pronouncing of the sentence... 5 or 3 or 1 spank with an old leather soleless mocassin which made a lot of noise but 'spread the load'. Then the sentence was carried out, across my knee. I had worked as a labourer and was strong in my arms. Carrying out the execution over my knee restricted my swing! We only ever punished disobedience; everything else was talked through. Accidents were never punished.

I think parents who dont apologize to their children are setting a bad example.I second that.

I think parents who dont apologize to their children are setting a bad example.That says it all. How are we to expect our kids to apologize, when we ourselves refuse to even we are in the wrong?