Do you tend to be a determinist in the way you look at childrearing?

Discussion: Replies to Strategic Principles (DSMN610)

Application Questions for Chapter 2

1. What have been some of the prominent shaping influences of your child’s life?

2. What is the structure of your family? How has that affected your son or daughter?

3. What would your children identify as the values of your family? What are the things that matter most to you?

4. Where are the secrets in your home? Do you share too much and thus burden your children with problems too big for them? Do you share too little and thus insulate them from life and dependence on God?

5. Who is the boss in your home? Is there a centralized authority, or does your family make decisions by committee?

6. What are the patterns for conflict resolution? How have these patterns affected each of your children? Is change warranted? If so, what change?

7. What constitutes success or failure in your home?

8. What events have been pivotal in your family history? How have these events affected you? How have they affected your children?

9. Do you tend to be a determinist in the way you look at childrearing? Are you able to see that your children are active responders to the shaping influences in their lives? How do you see them responding?