You can Say “Because I Said So”

But make sure your accounts are full.

It is trendy to be against saying “Because I said so” to your children. The reason given is that you don’t want to come across as wielding arbitrary authority.

You don’t want them to blindly accept authority.

You don’t want to raise peons.

But authority is built into the world. It’s how God made it, starting from Him and flowing down to kings, magistrates, church elders, and fathers. We should always act as if there is someone in authority over us…because there is.

You don’t teach your children to blindly obey authority, but to obey it because God is in heaven and God has instituted it.

Your children absolutely should accept “Because I am your father” as a reason to do something or not do something. Do not lean on it all the time. It should be rare. And the context of this statement should come out of an environment of love.

But they should obey you because you are their father. Even if they disagree with you.

Especially if they disagree with you.