Though there may be some exceptions, generally speaking, if a child chooses evil as an adult it is probably because his parents failed in some way to properly train him as a child. There are 3 ABCs of Successful Parenting that work together to help parents produce wise, godly children. Always win in training the child to obey. The parent, not the child, must be the winner in every contest of wills. A teenage rebel is often the product of a child who was not made to obey. Be gentle. Firmness must be balanced with gentleness or it easily becomes harshness. Greatness in a child is produced by gentleness in his parents. Consistently be consistent. Parents must not “start and stop.” They must stand together so that children know it is not possible to “pit one against the other.”