LESSON 1 (CHAPTER 1):
1. In the opening story, Lisa, the author, describes feeling harried and provides a lengthy list of what she feels she lets “slide” in her life. Think about your own list. What, if anything, do you let slide?
2. What are your priorities as a parent? Does your list reflect those priorities? If not, what things or people are getting in the way?
3. Read Matthew 11:28-30, then answer the following questions:
a. Are you weary and burdened, like the crowd Jesus is addressing?
b. What constitutes your daily load as a parent?
c. What is the “yoke” Jesus is speaking of? Why does He tell those who are heavy-laden to learn from Him? (v. 29)?
d. If you lack peace, what practical steps can you take to let God lighten your load?
4. If parenting resembles a highway (p. 10), where are you on that journey?
5. What roadblocks have you hit along the way? What did you do?
6. When facing a crossroads or detour, where—or to whom—do you usually turn for help or direction?
7. What are your expectations in reading Creative Correction? What parenting goals do you have? Take a moment to write them down—and be sure to refer to them as you work through this book.

LESSON 2 (CHAPTER 2):
1. Lisa states that children learn to relate to God through the example of their parents. With that in mind, how do you think your own kids see God? (If you’re not sure, ask them!)
2. To project a healthy image of God, we must first be committed to having a vibrant relationship with Him. What is your relationship with God like?
3. How can you get to know Him better?
4. Besides spending time with God, how can we as parents represent Him to our children in a healthy way?
5. Read Hebrews 12:5-11, then answer these questions:
a. Why does God discipline His children?
b. What are the benefits of His correction?
c. When and how has God disciplined you? What were the results?
6. What motivates you when disciplining your children? Are those motives pure?
7. Lisa also states that when our children trust us, they will obey (pp. 22-23). Do you find that to be true with your family? Explain, using examples.
8. What biblical characters obeyed their heavenly Father out of faith? What was God’s response?
9. Respect and love are also essential in teaching our children obedience, but if we are to convey these principles to our kids, we must first model them in our own marriages (p. 25). Does your marriage reflect love and respect?
10. Where can you and your spouse improve? What steps can you take to better love and respect each other?
11. What practical things can you encourage your children to do that will demonstrate respect to their elders? To one another?

From the Toolbox:
12. Do your children understand and respect your rules? God’s rules?
13. Practically speaking, how can you teach your kids to love God’s commands?

LESSON 3 (CHAPTER 3):
1. Think of a family where the parents have set strict rules, without explaining the principles behind them. What effect has this had on the children?
2. Now recall a family you know that is lax in establishing boundaries. What is that household like?
3. Describe a time in which, after correcting your child, you explained the importance of obedience to him. Now think of a time when you did not. Did he respond differently? Why or why not?
4. What is the point of obedience (p. 61)?
5. Read Matthew 19:16-22, then answer the following questions:
a. The rich young ruler had kept all of God’s commandments, so why did Jesus ask even more of him?
b. What was motivating the man to follow God’s rules?
c. What, in effect, did Jesus say to him? What point was Jesus trying to make?
d. How does this scripture change your perspective on keeping God’s laws?
e. Is your heart, like the rich young ruler’s, in the wrong place? If so, how?
6. Do your children truly understand the heart of obedience (p. 61)?
7. What motivates them to obey? Love or fear—or something else?
8. Near the end of the chapter, Lisa explains that she often tells her children stories from her own life to illustrate principles of obedience. What stories from your life can you use as teaching lessons?
9. In what areas do your children continually disobey? Might they, as Lisa suggests, not truly “get” the heart, or importance, of obedience?

From the Toolbox:
10. Pick a few topics from the Toolbox and then, using the stories and object lessons, teach your children the principles behind God’s rules. What is the result?

LESSON 4 (CHAPTER 4):
1. Describe a time in which you put your child’s gifts, character, and actions into perspective. How did doing so affect the situation or your view of it?
2. On a scale from 1 (never) to 5 (always), how often do you consider the big picture when parenting?
1 2 3 4 5
3. Why is this often so hard to do?
4. What are the benefits of maintaining a big-picture perspective?
5. Based on your children’s current actions and character, think about the kind of people they might be in 10 or 20 years. Is this a positive or a negative picture? Why?
6. If it’s a positive picture, how can you continue to affirm their character and choices?
7. If the image is negative, what steps can you take to help change your kids’ bad habits?
8. For a list of important “big-picture” traits, read Galatians 5:22-23. Do you see any of this fruit in your kids’ lives? What other godly habits can you work to instill in your children at an early age?
9. What figures in the Bible were noted for having an eternal perspective, even when life was difficult?
10. How were they able to maintain that eternal picture?
11. Make a list of all the activities each of your children is involved in. Are any of these activities distracting your kids from the big-picture priorities you’re trying to instill? If so, discuss with your spouse and children the possibility of cutting out a few items that may be “cluttering” their eternal perspective and growth.

12. Lisa includes money as an issue that must be looked at with eternal eyes (pp. 104-06). What kind of example are you setting with your finances?
13. Do your kids understand God’s economy? Do you? Explain.
14. How can you instill in your children a spirit of generosity and good stewardship?

From the Toolbox:
15. Do you use incentives to help develop important habits in your kids? Why or why not?
16. How does God utilize a reward system with us, His children? Does it work?

LESSON 5 (CHAPTER 5):
1. Of the four moms Lisa described at the beginning of the chapter, which one do you most identify with? Why?
2. Whose parenting style is most different from yours? How?
3. Each of the four friends described have children with different temperaments and needs, and at various stages of development. What special needs or qualities do each of your children possess? What stages of life are they in?
4. How can you adjust your parenting style in order to discipline your children most effectively?
5. When do your children need the most correction?
6. What “tools” of correction (p. 133) work best for them? If you have more than one child, describe how each one responds to various methods or tools.
7. What discipline dilemmas have you faced? Describe a time in which you experienced God’s divine leading while correcting your children.
8. Who in your family usually doles out the punishment?
9. If the administration of discipline is unbalanced, how does that affect your kids? How can you and your spouse better share this responsibility?
10. On a scale from 1 (ineffective) to 5 (very effective), how successful is your discipline? Your spouse’s discipline?

1      2     3     4     5

11. How did you decide on that rating?
12. If your score was low, why do you think your kids continually push the limits? What keeps you from “laying down the law”?
13. Lisa notes that in order to administer effective correction, we have to know what’s important to our children (pp. 136-37). What privileges are essential to your kids? How do they react when those privileges are taken away?

From the Toolbox:
14. Which of these ideas is most likely to give you immediate help in disciplining your child?
15. Pick one area you’d most like to see your child improve in, and then, using some of the toolbox ideas, focus on creative forms of discipline each time the opportunity comes up. Keep a journal, record what works—and then evaluate his or her progress in a month.

LESSON 6 (CHAPTER 6):
1. What are some good reasons for spanking? Not spanking?
2. Do you spank your kids? Why or why not?
3. What feelings do you have about administering corporal punishment?
4. How did your parents handle the issue of spanking with you?
5. How does your upbringing—or your spouse’s family history—affect your philosophy of spanking?
6. If you have more than one child and use spanking as a form of correction, which one responds best to corporal punishment? Why?
7. Do you approach spanking differently among your children? If so, how?
8. When do you find spanking to be most effective? Least effective?
9. When should spanking not be administered?
From the Toolbox:
10. What principles or procedures do you follow when spanking your kids? How do they differ from the guidelines that Lisa outlined?

Lesson 7 (chapter 7):
1. On a scale from 1 (combative) to 5 (blissful), what is the level of sibling rivalry in your home?

1       2       3       4       5

2. How does that sibling rivalry (or lack thereof) affect the entire family?
3. In the beginning of the chapter, Lisa describes the jealousy that often occurs between her two daughters. Is jealousy a big problem among your children, too? Why or why not?
4. If envy is an issue in your family, how does it manifest itself?
5. What happens when jealousy between siblings is not addressed?
6. Describe each of your children’s strongest qualities and/or strengths. How can you build on those strengths to help your kids develop their own identity and minimize some of the unfriendly competition?
7. Read Genesis 27:1-28:5, then answer the following questions:
a. Why did Jacob cheat his brother out of his rightful blessing?
b. What was the nature of Jacob’s relationship with Esau before the deception? After?
c. How did Isaac and Rebekah contribute to their sons’ sibling rivalry?
d. How did the brothers’ rivalry and deception influence the course of their lives?
8. In the example from the Book of Genesis, Rebekah favored her son Jacob—and that favoritism led to brutal consequences for Esau. Do you sometimes struggle with playing favorites or with giving more attention to one child? If so, how can you change that?
9. Which one of your children most often instigates the fighting? Why might she be such a bully? (Consider whether she is struggling with any unresolved issues or hurt feelings.)
10. When are your kids most susceptible to fighting?
11. What steps can you take to minimize the rivalry or even stop the battles before they occur?
12. What are the long-term consequences of unchecked sibling rivalry?
13. Do your kids understand the value of having a sibling? How, practically speaking, can you encourage them to become better friends (pp. 201-2)?

From the Toolbox:
14. Which one of these strategies for diffusing sibling rivalry will work best with your children? Why?

LESSON 8 (CHAPTER 8):
1. Describe in your own words what it means to live according to God’s “upside-down” principles.
2. Besides those listed in the book, what are some other upside-down principles from the Bible?
3. How do these “topsy-turvy truths,” such as turning the other cheek, play out in your household?
4. What are the benefits of living by God’s upside-down rules?
5. What are some of the inherent struggles in following those rules and teaching them to our kids?
6. In the beginning of the chapter, the author discusses the three ways, good and bad, of dealing with conflict (p. 225): (1) Sinning back. (2) Talking to Mom and Dad about the problem. (3) Doing what Jesus did and following God’s topsy-turvy truths. Which do your children most often choose?
7. Lisa lists separation from the world as one of God’s upside-down principles. What are you doing to help protect your children from the world’s negative influence?
8. Where you can make further changes?
9. Do your kids know that as Christians they are different? If so, are they comfortable with being different?
10. Evaluate each of your children’s most significant relationships. Who is most often the influencer, your kids or their friends? What effect do those friends have on your children?
11. What kind of track record do your kids have in choosing friends? Do they exercise discernment? Why or why not?
12. Read Matthew 12:36-37. If your children had to give an account today for every careless word they’d spoken (p. 229), what would be the result? Would you be applauding or cringing?
13. Identify one person, a friend or sibling, whom your child can focus on building up with his words.
14. How well do your kids share with one another or with their friends? What things are most difficult for them to give up?
15. Read Matthew 6:19-21, and then answer the questions below:
a. What treasures or material items are you storing up on earth?
b. What about your children? What things do they prize?
c. If your family struggles with materialism, how can you shift the focus from God’s material gifts to His spiritual blessings?

From the Toolbox:
16. Of all God’s upside-down principles listed in the toolbox section, which do your kids understand best? Which do they most need help with?

LESSON 9 (CHAPTER 9):
1. On a scale from 1 (never) to 5 (always), how often do you let your kids fail?

1       2       3       4       5

2. Is this difficult for you to do? Why or why not?

3. Describe in your own words why it’s important to sometimes let your children fail.
4. What can happen when a parent steps in all the time? Or not enough?
5. How do you decide when to intervene?
6. When in your own life have you experienced the most failure? What did you learn from it?
7. Describe a time in which one of your kids failed miserably but matured emotionally or spiritually. What lessons did she learn? How did God work through the situation?
8. How do your children respond to defeat or trials? How do they react when others fail them?
9. Right now, what is God teaching your children about failure? About His mercy?
10. Why are the concepts of forgiveness and mercy so important when confronting failure?
11. How do you balance showing mercy with administering discipline? Describe, using examples.

From the Toolbox:
12. How well do your children understand God’s grace and forgiveness? If they struggle to grasp this, what keeps them from realizing His unconditional love?

LESSON 10 (CHAPTER 10):
1. Take a moment to assess your state of fatigue, as Lisa did in her journal. How are you doing physically, emotionally, and spiritually? What can you do to alleviate some of that day-to-day exhaustion and stress that comes with raising a toddler?
2. The author alludes to several issues that often confront parents of young children: teaching toddlers self-control, dealing with their newfound desire for independence, and potty training and/or bed-wetting. Of these issues, which are you most struggling with? Which has been easiest for you? Why?
3. Reread Lisa’s prayer and journal entry about spiritual warfare (p. 284). Do you, too, recognize that your child-rearing battles may be spiritual? Explain.
4. Read Ephesians 6:10-18, then answer the following questions:
a.) How, specifically, can you as a parent “stand your ground” (v. 13)?
b.) What does it mean to take up “the shield of faith” when raising a young child (v. 16)? To “pray in the Spirit” (v. 18)?
c.) Describe a time in which you prayed passionately for your toddler. How did God answer that prayer?
5. Do you agree with Lisa that spanking is an effective way to instill respect for authority (p. 286)? Why or why not? What other methods do you use to give your child a healthy “fear” of you?
6. Do you tend to be more flexible or rigid about following a routine? How might that affect your toddler?
7. What is your child’s ideal daily routine? Write it down. Now write what usually happens over the course of an average day. How do those schedules match up?
8. What can do you to create the best routine for your child?
9. Think of several choices you can offer your toddler this week to help her safely exercise her need for independence. Now identify several consequences you might implement if she does not opt for either choice. How does she react when presented with choices?

10. Lisa writes that although she does not advocate “redirection” (creating diversions to avoid conflict with our children), she does believe parents should remove temptation from their homes (p. 290). Does your home need to be “temptation-proofed”? What things in your house might be better put out of sight?
11. When was the last time you used “tickle torture” instead of a well-deserved time-out? How did your toddler react?

From the Toolbox:
12. Does your young child cling to certain “security objects”? Read the list of suggestions outlined in the toolbox, and then identify which idea might work best to help him let go.

LESSON 11 (CHAPTER 11):
1. The author opens the chapter with a humorous story about how, despite her best efforts to control them, her children were acting like hyenas. Describe a time when, despite your best efforts, your kids went nuts. How do you react when all the best principles and methods of correction seem to fail?
2. What things do you often not take into account when trying out a new parenting idea?
3. Think of one new creative correction that, after trying with your children, seemed more like a ridiculous ideal than a great idea. Why didn’t it work?
4. What method seemed like a long shot but actually worked perfectly? Describe the situation.
5. Read over the list of expectations and/or parenting goals you developed after finishing Lesson 1. Now that you’ve tried many of the ideas in this book, evaluate how those expectations line up with what actually happened.
6. What do those results say about your general expectations as a parent? Are they too high, too low, or just right? Explain.
7. What struck you about Lisa’s reality check, in which she describes in detail a typical day? What would your own typical day, if recorded, reveal about your family?
8. What do you find most encouraging about Lisa’s journal? Why?
9. As you continue to sort ideals from ideas, what will be your next step in molding your kids?