No study of great moms in history would be complete without looking at the life of Susanna Wesley. Susanna Wesley had 15 children and spent an hour a week with each child individually, helping he or she to be totally submitted to God.
When she was asked about her method of preparing her children for spiritual maturity she replied:
“No one can, without renouncing the world, in the most literal sense, observe my method; and there are few, if any, that would entirely devote above twenty years of the prime of life in hopes to save the souls of their children, which they think may be saved without so much ado; for that was my principal intention, however unskillfully and unsuccessfully managed.”
Here are some of her methods:
16 Rules of Susanna Wesley
1. Eating between meals not allowed. (3 meals a day – no snacks)
2. As children they are to be in bed by 8 p.m. (starting with the youngest)
3. They are required to take medicine without complaining. (although they did throw up)
4. Subdue self-will in a child, and those working together with God to save the child’s soul. (main point)
5. To teach a child to pray as soon as he can speak. (Lord’s Prayer twice daily – then others)
6. Require all to be still during Family Worship.
7. Give them nothing that they cry for, and only that when asked for politely. (No crying – odious sound – strictly enforced)
8. To prevent lying, punish no fault which is first confessed and repented of. (one child trouble, rest readily honest)
9. Never allow a sinful act to go unpunished. (willful disobedience or wrongdoing)
10. Teach children to fear the rod. (spanked them early – not necessary later)
11. Never punish a child twice for a single offense. (once dealt with never mentioned again)
12. Comment and reward good behavior. (this freely and positively done)
13. Any attempt to please, even if poorly performed, should be commended. (good job – great try)
14. Preserve property rights, even in the smallest matters. (even to a pin, give something away not yours)
15. Strictly observe all promises. (Hers and others)
16. Require no daughter to work before she can read well. (taught Latin, Greek, all subjects – then duties – Education 6 hours a day for 5 years old and up Read more about Susanna in the book, Susanna: Mother of the Wesleys
