Scripture instructs us parents not to provoke our children to anger:
Ephesians 6:4
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.Colossians 3:21
Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
But what exactly do we do to hurt our children this way? John MacArthur gives us a nice list, which I’ve summarized below.
How to Provoke Your Children (things you should NOT do ;)
- Excessive Discipline
- Inconsistent Discipline
- Unkindness
- Favoritism
- Overindulgence
- Overprotection
- Pressure to Achieve