Adaptability

The tail doesn’t wag the dog

Any time

Send your power hungry or manipulative child the message that “the tail doesn’t wag the dog.”

Do you have a child in the family who likes to call the shots, perhaps even to the point that your family’s life revolves around what they want? Gently send your power hungry or manipulative child the message that “the tail doesn’t wag the dog.”

Find a friendly, even-tempered dog you can use for your object lesson. While the dog is wagging its tail, gently hold the tail to stop it from wagging. Now gently move the tail back and forth. Can you make the whole dog’s body “wag” back and forth just by wagging its tail?

Use the questions for discussion to explain that God expects parents to train their children, and He expects children to obey their parents.

Questions for discussion
  1. Who is the boss, the tail or the dog?
  2. Who is the leader in your family?
  3. Who is Dad or Mom’s leader?
  4. Why is it not a good idea for a child to try to lead their family?

Note: For more on this topic, see the Kids of Integrity lesson on obedience.

Relevant Scripture

Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Isaiah 45:11-12 “Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: Ask Me of things to come; will you command Me concerning My children and the work of My hands? I made the earth and created man on it; it was My hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.”

Colossians 3:20 “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”