Christian blogger and professional mommy-shamer Lori Alexander has never met a conservative Christian talking point she didn’t like (or write about). This week, the topic is child discipline.

Or, as normal people call it, child abuse.

There are too many children who are being left to themselves. Their parents aren’t disciplining, nor are they training their children. They have fallen for the “gentle parenting” movement. They refuse to say “no” to their children or tell them what they should do. They want them to have a “free spirit” so when they are biting, hitting, and pulling out other children’s hair, their response is, “They’ll grow out of it.” This is testing God. This is playing Russian roulette with their children. This is disobeying God’s clear instructions in His Word. They are raising rebellious children. Part of loving your children, women, is disciplining and training them.

True to form, Lori doesn’t cite any examples to back up this theory. Is this “free spirit” form of parenting a method people actually use? Did she conduct a survey of parents under the age of 35 and inquire about their discipline habits?

Of course not. This is all just something she “feels” is an epidemic. It’s not. Most parents discipline their children. The difference is in how they do it.

… live your lives in obedience to God’s Word and NOT to this culture. Never spank your children in anger. Don’t pull their hair, slap them across the face, or anything else that is abusive in nature. Don’t spank them in public or in front of others. The bare bottom is a the perfect place to spank, but you must make sure it hurts to be effective. The pain of the discipline must be greater than the pleasure of the sin. … “Can you legally spank your child? The short answer is yes. In all 50 states and the District of Columbia, you are not forbidden by law to use corporal punishment on your child as long as the form of punishment is reasonable and does not cause injury.”

It may be legal, but is it wise? Plenty of child psychologists advise against it. And to all those parents who say they were hit as a child and they turned out just fine, no you didn’t. You grew up to become someone who thinks hitting a child is okay.

If your method of discipline requires you to ask, “Is it legal?” then there’s a problem with it.

Alexander assumes that everyone who doesn’t think exactly like her is deficient in some important way. Just because you’re not spanking your kids doesn’t mean they’re not being disciplined. There are plenty of ways to correct problematic behavior that don’t involve pain or fear.

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