"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother,' which is the first commandment with promise: 'that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth'" (Eph. 6:1-3).
God knows the importance of children obeying their parents. When God spoke the Ten Commandments to Israel from Mt. Sinai, He made honoring their parents the condition upon which He would bless them with long life in the promised land (Exo. 20:12). The home is the training ground for honoring and obeying God Himself. Obeying parents develops moral accountability in children, preparing them to also honor and obey God. Disrespectful, disobedient children grow up to disrespect and disobey the heavenly Father (Rom. 1:28, 30; 2 Tim. 3:1-4). While the obedient child obtains blessings from God and men, the rebellious child equips himself for a painful life and eternal sorrow. "My son, keep your father's command, and do not forsake the law of your mother" (Prov. 6:20).
"And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4).
Fathers have a supreme responsibility of guiding the instruction and rearing of their children. Fatherless homes are not God's norm, for it is God's will that fathers lead in educating their sons and daughters in the way of the Lord. God gives sound counsel and command to fathers not to exasperate their children to angry outbursts as they train them. Respect cannot be demanded by the father of his children; it must be earned. That requires treating your children with fairness, honesty and the guiding principles of faith from God's word of truth. Fathers (and mothers) must live their faith before their children as well as teach it to them. And, when necessary, warnings and corrections are in order to train them to make good and righteous choices (Heb. 12:9-10). Our heavenly Father trains us by His word, as well as through the trials of life (Heb. 12:3-11). Such training is an attribute of the Father's love for us, His children. Like God, fathers who teach and correct their children are showing love for them, while avoiding provocations to wrath.