Parenting the Wholehearted Child Quotes

“Punishment, directed at the personhood of our children, is shame inducing, and it will never reach our children’s hearts. Shame believes the lie that because I do unlovable things, I am therefore an unlovable person. But Jesus never confused the two. Jesus does not shame us, nor should we shame our children. Rather, we want to grow our children with corrective discipline — discipline that reflects God’s holy discipline in our lives.”
― Jeannie Cunnion, Parenting the Wholehearted Child: Captivating Your Child's Heart with God's Extravagant Grace

“We want to use our authority to connect with our kids rather than to try to control them, because we are all, including our kids, designed for connection. Connection with God and connection with one another. To know and be known. To love and be loved. Connection draws us in; controlling authority makes us run.”
― Jeannie Cunnion, Parenting the Wholehearted Child: Captivating Your Child's Heart with God's Extravagant Grace

“Giving thanks doesn’t change our circumstances; it changes our hearts. It makes space for grace to fill the empty place, for thankfulness to have its rightful place in our hearts. Joy prevails when we give thanks.”
― Jeannie Cunnion, Parenting the Wholehearted Child: Captivating Your Child's Heart with God's Extravagant Grace

“As much as I desire to model the kind of life Jesus calls us to live as his disciples, I have to daily remind myself that Jesus didn’t say, “They will know you are my disciples by your perfection.” No, he said, “They will know you are my disciples by your love” (see John 13:35).”
― Jeannie Cunnion, Parenting the Wholehearted Child: Captivating Your Child's Heart with God's Extravagant Grace

“if we focus only on getting our kids to obey without first addressing the way grace and a relationship with Jesus inspire our hearts to grateful obedience, we’ll end up creating law-abiding citizens on the outside but little rebels on the inside.”
― Jeannie Cunnion, Parenting the Wholehearted Child: Captivating Your Child's Heart with God's Extravagant Grace