January 21, 2026
Joey and Carla Link
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My kids knew it was their job to put their laundry away. I washed it, I folded it, put it in a basket and put each of my kid’s baskets in their room. From the time they were around 6 years old, I would have them come help me put their clothes away and I gave the job to them when they were doing a good job without help from me for a couple months.
As the kids grew, they would go into their rooms to get something or change clothes, but they didn’t put their clothes away. I put it in the middle of the room so they would have to kick it out of the way to change clothes or do anything else. When their dad or I would go into their rooms to pray with them and tuck them in, I expected the laundry to be put away, but that was rarely the case.
When they saw the basket in their rooms, they knew they were supposed to put it away, but Satan is sitting on their shoulders saying, “Just shove your clothes under your bed. Your mom will never know. She’ll think you put them away.” I never have figured out how shoving them under the bed was easier than opening a drawer and putting them in it!
Don’t you wish you could catch your child before he gives in to temptation? When your kids see their basket and they put it away before getting a reminder or lecture from you, you want to run into their room cheering as loud as you can! When they do this, we hope you praise and encourage them by reminding them of the verse found in 1 Corinthians 10:13:
“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.
And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.
When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
I Corinthians 10:13 NLT
What is the “way out” when you are tempted? It is a way to escape giving in to it.
Before we talk about how to plan ways of escape for your kids with the temptations they face, we first need to talk about what exactly a temptation is.
Temptation is:
Wanting to do something you know you shouldn’t do. When you or your kids do something you know you shouldn’t do, it is sin. “Wanting” and “doing” are 2 different things. “Wanting” isn’t sin yet, “doing” is.
Standing right behind the temptation that is already there, siblings could be egging your child/teen on, or friends could be trying to talk him into doing something, or commercials on TV make him want something he shouldn’t have, he sees things on the internet he knows he shouldn’t be looking at and so on.
“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”
James 4:17 ESV
When your child knows what the right thing to do is, like putting the laundry away, and doesn’t do it, it is sin! When your kids chose to, as the verse says, “Fail to do it” they break trust and fellowship with God and they break your trust in them too. This should make you want to train your kids with even greater urgency and effort to help them learn how to “want to” choose to do right, so they will choose to do right when God’s Holy Spirit convicts them when they think about choosing the wrong way.
Kids, Get Self-Control! How many times have I told you…?” says Mom when she can’t believe her child repeated the same behavior again. Kids have self-control; they just don’t use it unless they want to. This presentation shares with parents of kids 5 yrs. and under how to begin getting self-control and gives parents of 5 yrs. and older 8 key areas parents need to train their kids self-control in. Tips and suggestions on how to accomplish obtaining self-control are shared in this presentation.
Use code JAN25 at checkout by January 25th, 2026 for $1 off the MP3 & PDF
Parenting Made Practical Podcasts
#25 Kids and Their Work Ethic – Having a good work ethic means your kids will do a job you have given them to do the way it is supposed to be done with their best effort, and with no reminders from you. Is this the way your kids do their chores and schoolwork when they would rather be doing something else? Join Joey & Carla as they share how to teach your kids how to have a good work ethic and why it matters.
#35 Developing My Child’s Responsibility Gene
Parents want their kids to be responsible, yet can’t figure out how to get them to get their stuff done without constant reminders. Learn how your kids can get the “key of trust” so you are confident they will follow through with what you give them to do.