“To Train Up A Child” written by Michael and Debi Pearl has been at the center of controversy because a number of children’s deaths are linked to severe discipline methods outlined in this book targeted toward Christian families. The authors point to Old Testament verses including Proverbs 22:6 from which they took the book’s title. The Pearls’ interpretation of these various Biblical readings calls for corporal punishment of children.

For example, take the case in North Carolina in which a 4-year-old boy, suffocated from being wrapped too tightly in blankets. The idea was to keep the child from hopping out of bed. The Pearls did not advocate this precise method of restraining a child, but two other children in the home had incurred welts from a rod used to hit them as a method of punishment that is cited in the book. Lynn Paddock is spending the rest of her life in prison for the first-degree murder of little Sean, and felony child abuse of the other two children.

One way to look at this horrific situation is to know that there are obviously extreme measures that should never occur. On the other hand, another extreme may be the parents who would never think of a quick swat on their two-year-old child’s behind for running out into the street. In cases such as this, a spanking may be just what a small child needs to learn to never place themselves in that danger again.

There are extremists on both ends of the spectrum, it is possible to raise happy, healthy children with a middle of the road approach to discipline. Timeouts and “1-2-3 Magic” work well to correct the behavior of young children, but the occasional swat saved for when a parent really must teach a big lesson does not hurt a child. With older children consequences such as loosing privileges or being assigned extra chores works well.

The New Testament took emphasis away from the laws and centered more on a Jesus Christ approach of offering loving compassion and forgiveness. Christianity overall should not be judged by the dreadful acts of some individuals. The point is to caution parents that some information in the Pearls’ book is extreme and should be taken with a grain of salt. Children respond well to gentle discipline and training.