The Bible Speaks to You May 14, 1966 Issue

[The above is an abbreviated, postproduction text of the program released for broadcast the week of May 6-12 in the radio series, "The Bible Speaks to You." Heard internationally over more than 985 stations, the weekly programs are prepared and produced by the Christian Science Committee on Publication, 107 Falmouth Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.]

RADIO PROGRAM NO. 214 - Your Child's Behavior: Who's in Control?

Questioner: It's obvious that children go through cycles of behavior as they're growing up. There are times when they can be an absolute delight; and yet at other times, they can try a parent's patience terribly. Most people feel that these patterns of behavior are a normal part of the growing-up process. How do you as a Christian Scientist feel about this?
Speaker: It is very important for parents to deal with their children's behavior problems in an intelligent way. But I don't think this demands that we accept the human pattern of cycles—ups and downs, and good and bad.

Questioner: Do you feel that discipline is the answer in dealing with behavior problems?
Speaker: Well, one definition of discipline from Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary is "training that corrects, molds, or perfects." I'd go along with the necessity for that kind of discipline. But back of all this is how we view the child. Do we see him as just a bundle of conflicting emotions governed by impulse and controlled by negative forces? If this is our concept, then there is a better way to view the child.
Questioner: Well, what do you feel is the right view?
Speaker: Christian Science shows us how to look for the child's true selfhood, the spiritual likeness of God. Our basis for this is the first chapter of Genesis where it states that man is made in the image and likeness of God, which is Spirit. So we endeavor to understand that every child's real nature is spiritual and expresses or manifests all the qualities of God including love, wisdom, purity, and goodness.

When we prayerfully and consistently think of the child as an idea of God and help him to identify himself this way, then we have a solid, scientific basis for coping with the problems that come up, whether they be problems of behavior or anything else.
Questioner: As a practical matter, though, isn't this a little hard to do when a child is running rampant through the house, throwing his toys, and screaming?
Speaker: It takes persistence, certainly and prayer! But it is practical. We read in Ephesians (6:4), "Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." That's very practical and inspired advice! To me, it brings out the need of not imposing our own stubborn will on children, thereby inviting their wrath, but making sure we base our discipline on "the nurture and admonition of the Lord." In Christian Science, this nurture begins with the spiritual basis we've been talking about. It means that parents and children alike must learn to bring out more of man's real nature in their everyday conversation and actions.