Should Parents Give Their Kids Free Choice in All Decisions [One Minute Feature]

Some parents may notice that the Bible indicates that people have free will. Does this mean that kids should be allowed to have free choice all the time and in all areas of life?

How Always Giving Kids Free Choice Can Be a Mistake

As we read Scripture and learn to deal with our fellow man, it is easy to misinterpret it as it relates to parenting. We have to realize that not everything that applies to adults applies to kids. Perhaps this is obvious, but I see parents make this mistake often. For instance, concerning man’s free choice, Scripture is referring to mankind—adults.

Kids are to be trained and to obey their parents. It is not optional. Yet too often parents are inclined to give their kids virtually the same free-choice options God reserved for adults. Not only can this put them in harm’s way, but it can also cheat them out of the childhood training they need to build healthy decision-making skills once they do become adults.

Picture provided by: Gerd Altmann