Teaching Children to Tame Their Tongue

By Cindy Leach, courtesy of ParentLife

Teaching children to tame their tongue“May the words of my mouth ... be acceptable to You”
 (Psalm 19:14).

If you have children, you probably have given them the warning “Stop saying that!” Did you know that God’s Word teaches that the tongue is something to be tamed? James 3:8 says, “But no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” It is true that such a tiny little body part has great power. So how do you teach your child to keep his tongue under control? Here is some help for three big tongue problems.

Problem 1:

Lying

When a child feels backed into a corner, what will he do? Tell a lie. Lying is a normal childhood problem. You want your child to use his imagination and be creative, but lying should never be acceptable. So how do you tell the difference between a vivid imagination and telling a lie? Look at what motivated your child. Is he using his imagination in play or being silly? Children who tell lies have a different motive. Some motives include avoiding punishment, impressing others, for shock value, or to hurt someone.

Solution: Do not let lying get a foothold in your child’s life. When your child succeeds with a small lie, he is likely to try lying about bigger things. Start early by emphasizing daily the importance of telling the truth. When you catch your child in a lie, ask: “Why did you feel you needed to tell a lie?” Listen to discover what motivated your child to lie.