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"..That which traineth the world is justice, for it is upheld by two pillars, reward and punishment. These two pillars are the sources of life to the world." (Baha'u'llah) (88:2) This implies love hand-in-hand with a constant firmness right from the beginning.. Such firmness should be consistent between both parents. A child quickly learns to exploit a situation in which one parent contradicts the firmness of the other with an attitude of weakness.. If these principles are applied early enough there should be no need for physical chastisement. Should stern measures in fact have to be taken, they should never reach the point of physical beating or tongue-lashing as such punishments would soon make a child hate his own home. Essentially, however, the emphasis should be on the positive. A properly educated child will receive more praise for the things he does well than chastisement for the things he should not do. (88:3) In Baha'i teachings there is no compromise on the role of the parents. All members of the family have rights as human beings and part of the right of parents is their authority which comes from their greater experience and maturity. That authority is most easily held if they have the respect of their children which, it is suggested, rests on at least two requisites. First, the parents must practise what they preach. How many millions of parents have forbidden smoking and drinking to their children and openly consume such drugs themselves. Double talk is one of the most effective ways of undermining a child's sense of values. Secondly, they must teach constantly what is reasonable and just. This does not mean that it is necessary to have a long discussion each time there is a point at issue; on the contrary, the child should learn soon to take on trust, from experience, the reasonableness of the parents's position. When a child is treated with justice and empathy, he can confide in his parents without fear, and the barriers between generations will not arise..
(88:4)
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