Prov13:24 He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly. NKJV
DISCIPLINE HAS TIMING
I was privileged to learn about child psychology years back. It was a semester course but my eyes opened to so many things about children especially their formative years. The formative years of a child's life is the best time to use the rod of discipline not at the teenage years. Between ages 2-9, every child is trying to form ideologies and personal philosophy of life. I discovered that there is a time the rod of discipline works and there's also another time it may become counter productive. The opening scriptures told us to discipline promptly. That talks about timeliness. That means there's a time the rod of discipline would work effectively but not at all times.
The time of life when parents need to do extra work is during those years. Their minds are still pliable and can be directed easily between that age bracket because they depend on you virtually for everything. In fact, that's the time your 8 year old son can ask questions like: are we serving the same God with moslems or what is sex? So many things are contending for their heart. It is very wrong to allow t.v.or a third party to train your child(ren) for you at that time. Those years are foundational, you must lay a very solid foundation for them. That's not the time to put them in boarding school. Don't be an absentee father or mother.
As your child grows into teenagehood, those are the years he/ she would start to exhibit characters formed in the formative years(2-9). It is unwise to start using cane on a teenager whose mind is made up and exposed. You may end up breeding a rebel. I have seen teenagers that aren't afraid of cane, they'll intentionally do wrong and tell you: My punishment is not more than cane. I'm sure you've seen that too. At that stage, parents are meant to assume the role of a trusted confidant, friend and counselor. It is wise to pay attention to those formative years. If you lay a solid foundation for them, the workload reduces as they grow.
Father, I receive the grace to raise godly seeds In Jesus name.