This is a portion of a daily devotional that Elizabeth Elliot writes. It addresses an important point about obedience.
To make a habit of repeating commands is to train the child to believe you never mean what you say the first time. If the first lesson in obedience is carried out as above, the child learns quickly that you mean exactly what you say. I know it works–my parents taught us this way, and I watched them train my younger sister and brothers. I found that it worked with my daughter Valerie.
If you run after the child and physically force him to do what you say (e.g. grab him when he doesn’t come, take something away when he touches it), you are training him not to pay attention to your words. He knows he can get away with anything until forcibly restrained.
