I may be just fifteen months old, but I am not as dumb as my muttering makes me look. After all, I’m learning the King’s English from adults that all talk like babies. When they talk to each other, it is easier to understand, but when they talk to us kids they slobber and goo until we have to laugh at them. Then they are satisfied and go back to speaking to each other where you can understand them. But that’s not what I wanted to tell you.
Just the other day, two ladies came to visit. They looked kind of funny, so I made the mistake of smiling at them. They couldn’t keep their hands off of me. I started showing them all the things I could do. You should have seen me; it would have made Barnum and Bailey look like a church play. I guess that with all the attention I got a little rowdy, as Dad would call it, so he told me to go into the other room. I didn’t want to leave my audience so I tried an old trick that I had almost forgotten. It had never worked with Dad, but I had used it successfully against mother on several occasions—that is until she read that second book—No Greater Joy, something or another.
Anyway, when Dad commanded me to go outside and join my brothers and sisters, I saw the goo-goo lady look absolutely stricken. So I put on a forlorn, pleading look, placed one finger in my mouth, hung my head and shoulders, and started gently rocking from side to side on the balls of my feet. I saw it on Shirley Temple. It worked well for her. I cut my eyes back to see how Dad was taking it, and he made a gesture toward his belt buckle. The ladies probably thought he was just scratching his belly button, but I knew better. I could not be sure that the presence of these two ladies would stop him from spanking me, so I decided not to take the risk. But as I headed out of the room, I got in one last shot. I cried just a little, so everyone would see how mean he was. The ouu-ahh lady jumped up and got right in front of me. She started making those unintelligible sounds that meant her reason had departed. I played it for all it was worth. My whimpers turned to sobs. She scooped me up and started saying things like, "pooooorrrrr baaaaabeeee, it’sss allll right. Therrre now. Sweet child." Then, looking from Dad to me she put on her most sanctified, compassionate look and said, "She wants to stay, don’t you dear?" I wiped my tears and tried to smile to show my appreciation. As she hugged me, I looked over her shoulder and saw Dad give Mom one of those "What do we do now looks?"
Mom jumped up and said, "Why don’t we all go in the kitchen for a cup of hot tea?" I smiled and pulled on the lady’s glasses, knowing I had won. Mom led the way, and the ladies followed. I had it all under control until I saw Dad step in front of my accomplice, and with a big smile he said, "I will take pumpkin; she may need to potty." He was smiling so sweetly with his mouth, but his eyes were chilled. Too late! He took me from the lady with the funny smell and then quietly shut the door to the kitchen. He sat me right back in the spot where I was sitting when he first commanded me to go outside. He went back to the chair where he had been sitting and quietly repeated his former command, "Go outside and play with the others." He didn’t fool me. I could tell that he was not going to cut me any slack. I think he was hoping I would balk. I may be selfish, but I’m not stupid. I turned to flee toward the back door. He said, "Stop." I stopped and slowly turned. He said, "Smile." I smiled. He said, "Now go outside." I went.
A word from the editor: The story you just read is true, for I watched it unfold in my living room this past week.
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I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 3 John 4
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Disgusting, disturbing, and just WRONG. I have a 15 month old and he is NEVER forced to smile or obey. Neither is he ever threatened with a spanking or given a "cold look" for his "disobedience". And spanking a 15 month old with a BELT?! Pearls... you are CHILD ABUSERS. Sick, sick, sick... this kind of trash is why child abuse is so prevalent in society. This mindset that we must CONTROL our children at whatever cost necessary is completely UNBIBLICAL. How would Jesus treat a child?! Certainly not like this.
Disgusting, disturbing, and just WRONG. I have a 15 month old and he is NEVER forced to smile or obey. Neither is he ever threatened with a spanking or given a "cold look" for his "disobedience". And spanking a 15 month old with a BELT?! Pearls... you are CHILD ABUSERS. Sick, sick, sick... this kind of trash is why child abuse is so prevalent in society. This mindset that we must CONTROL our children at whatever cost necessary is completely UNBIBLICAL. How would Jesus treat a child?! Certainly not like this.
I have a 2 year old girl. I agree that a belt might not be the best instrument for chastising a baby... though it also depends on the belt and how you use it. I would rather use a thin and flexible rod. But children definitely need training, that is sure.
However, what I love from this article is the kind of control it shows. Evidently, the father is not squashing the girl below a too-heavy load of aggressive control or nagging, not in this case or on a normal basis. Would he, this scene would have been different. She would have obeyed but she might have been emotionally overwhelmed and most probably not able to smile as required, at her age. We see here a secure, loved girl who is confident and happy. She is being trained, not abused. However, she is trying her limits, as it is normal to her very nature, and her father is seeing that the boundaries are firm. When asking her to smile, this father shows he does not just care about external obedience. He is training up her soul into obeying with a sweet heart. She will thank him forever as soon as she grows big enough to understand the treasures he is giving her, self-control among them.
I have a 2 year old girl. I agree that a belt might not be the best instrument for chastising a baby... though it also depends on the belt and how you use it. I would rather use a thin and flexible rod. But children definitely need training, that is sure.
However, what I love from this article is the kind of control it shows. Evidently, the father is not squashing the girl below a too-heavy load of aggressive control or nagging, not in this case or on a normal basis. Would he, this scene would have been different. She would have obeyed but she might have been emotionally overwhelmed and most probably not able to smile as required, at her age. We see here a secure, loved girl who is confident and happy. She is being trained, not abused. However, she is trying her limits, as it is normal to her very nature, and her father is seeing that the boundaries are firm. When asking her to smile, this father shows he does not just care about external obedience. He is training up her soul into obeying with a sweet heart. She will thank him forever as soon as she grows big enough to understand the treasures he is giving her, self-control among them.
Excuse me??? Is fisical chastisement what you are calling child abuse? While it is true a rod might serve much better for such a small child, I think you understand it quite wrong. You should go to the street and see real child abuse. You should see yourself in, let's say the "terrible twos" of your sweetheart and let's see what you call then "child abuse".
Child abuse is allowing a child to do as he pleases until your nerves are so grated that you may even lose control and then, let's say you don't spank them. Then what you do is to continually nag their joy away, or to forcefully push them on a chair for a "time off", or who knows what.
Child abuse is to bring up a child while allowing his soul to grow untrained, selfish and horrible, and then reject the monster you created by saying when they are incorregible teens that "you did what you could, now it's God's turn".
If we want God to control our life, we must do things God's way.
Please, prevent yourself from being offended when you read your Bible by gently removing all verses about the rod.
I don't think that you must CONTROL children in an offensive way, but in a loving, happy general environment there are moments when control must be exerted. This one, from my perspective was just one of those moments, not the daily behavior of a father.
Excuse me??? Is fisical chastisement what you are calling child abuse? While it is true a rod might serve much better for such a small child, I think you understand it quite wrong. You should go to the street and see real child abuse. You should see yourself in, let's say the "terrible twos" of your sweetheart and let's see what you call then "child abuse".
Child abuse is allowing a child to do as he pleases until your nerves are so grated that you may even lose control and then, let's say you don't spank them. Then what you do is to continually nag their joy away, or to forcefully push them on a chair for a "time off", or who knows what.
Child abuse is to bring up a child while allowing his soul to grow untrained, selfish and horrible, and then reject the monster you created by saying when they are incorregible teens that "you did what you could, now it's God's turn".
If we want God to control our life, we must do things God's way.
Please, prevent yourself from being offended when you read your Bible by gently removing all verses about the rod.
I don't think that you must CONTROL children in an offensive way, but in a loving, happy general environment there are moments when control must be exerted. This one, from my perspective was just one of those moments, not the daily behavior of a father.
Actually, I would guess that little child knows more of the belt by having older children than by actually being chastisened with it!
Actually, I would guess that little child knows more of the belt by having older children than by actually being chastisened with it!
Charity, you NEVER make your 15 month old obey???
What kind of person are you trying to train up, in case you are training him up?
Don't you teach him to do anything you tell him to? What do you do when he doesn't? Do you just smile and hope he will grow out of his very sinful nature?
That is confusing him on what is good and evil, and by the time you realize what you are doing, you will have a demanding child controlling you, or a boy who will do as he pleases and won't respect authority.
That is not biblical either. I would say it is worse, for you are training him into an unchristian worldview regarding responsibility and obedience.
Wait for his "terrible twos", and then write back and let us all see what happened...
Charity, you NEVER make your 15 month old obey???
What kind of person are you trying to train up, in case you are training him up?
Don't you teach him to do anything you tell him to? What do you do when he doesn't? Do you just smile and hope he will grow out of his very sinful nature?
That is confusing him on what is good and evil, and by the time you realize what you are doing, you will have a demanding child controlling you, or a boy who will do as he pleases and won't respect authority.
That is not biblical either. I would say it is worse, for you are training him into an unchristian worldview regarding responsibility and obedience.
Wait for his "terrible twos", and then write back and let us all see what happened...
I came over to your website after reading in the news of a seven year old girl who was beaten to death by parents employing the techniques described in TTUAC. I am devastated by what I am reading regarding "training" infants and children. I pray that the Grace of Salvation be made known to parents who believe these teachings and implement the deception of the rod being able to save their child's soul, rather then Christ's finished work on the cross.
ILV - I think the word you meant was "physical" not fisical
I came over to your website after reading in the news of a seven year old girl who was beaten to death by parents employing the techniques described in TTUAC. I am devastated by what I am reading regarding "training" infants and children. I pray that the Grace of Salvation be made known to parents who believe these teachings and implement the deception of the rod being able to save their child's soul, rather then Christ's finished work on the cross.
ILV - I think the word you meant was "physical" not fisical
People, you speak of what you don't know and you read God's word according to your own desires. I implemented the way thought by the Pearls and my children felt security and love and I could see it through the way they blossomed.
God's way and only God's way, brings true life and blessing. We need to submit not manipulate God's word so it fits our sinful desires.
Thank you Michael and Debi for not standing back. God bless us and you.