Written by Paul J Bucknell on April, 30, 2022
The Importance of Chastisement in Raising a Healthy Child
Our Maker knows us best! So why do parents follow culture’s self-appointed experts instead of our Designer’s advice on how to discipline our children properly?
Many parents no longer chastise their children in whatever form because they have heard that child discipline, such as spanking, is harmful. Is the infliction of pain wrong if it can accomplish a higher purpose to benefit the child?
Well, I suppose anything can be harmful if we do it incorrectly. But have we asked: who is telling us that it’s harmful? Why is it harmful? What is the evidence that it is harmful? Whose definition of harmful are we using? Is there anything helpful about chastisement?
I fear we have thrown the proverbial ‘baby out with the bathwater!’
We have been raising generations of children who lack respect for authority and have little to no self-control because we have not timely and appropriately disciplined/trained them.
It’s already hard enough for our children when facing worldly and fleshly temptations. By refusing to discipline/train them, we allow them to assume that they can only live for their selfish ambitions and desires rather than learning how to submit to authority and God’s truth.
By refusing to discipline/train our children when needed, we are not helping them see that God can help them overcome their wild lusts, disrespect, and laziness. They do not learn to esteem God’s better way of respecting authorities.
“It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” (Hebrews 12:7)
A new self-anointed priestly class of experts, supposedly more knowledgeable than God, tells us that child discipline is wrong and harmful. Even parents who were helped by this discipline when young have set aside their learned experiences and the benefits of chastisement to adopt this new priestly class’ laws.
We agree that some parents can be excessive or discipline in anger; Paul wisely instructs us (Eph 6:4). Children can be scarred by parent’s selfishness.
Think of a lazy dad watching his sports show and not wanting to be interrupted. When his noisy kid pesters him, he gets up and whips him. That is unhelpful since it comes from his selfishness and is not motivated by wanting what is best for the child.
Living with Aim
We need to be clear on the purpose of discipline/training to rightly apply child-discipline. We ask where we want our children to be and what do they need to get there? Check our resources below to find more information.
Summary
God uses chastisement to create healthy and helpful habits, routines, and disciplines that help them daily. Parenting can be tough already, but we make it much more difficult by neglecting God’s commands to train up our children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6).
“Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov 22:6).
Discussion Questions on Child Discipline/Training
- What is child discipline?
- What is its purpose?
- Who originally designed chastisement?
- Does God chastise His children (i.e., God’s people)? How do we know?
- Can children be trained?
- Why is chastisement helpful?
- Read Hebrews 12:4-10 and list several significant pieces of advice from our Designer on disciplining children.
- Where do we want our children to be at?
- What are one to two unhelpful habits your children now have?
Other Reading Material on Routines and Raising Godly Children by Paul J. Bucknell
Our book, Principles & Practices of Biblical Parenting: Raising Godly Children, shows how and why we need to implement good routines. Parents need to establish good routines for their child, stressing the necessity of God-honoring routines.
Our Parenting Digital Library includes all our parenting books, slides, videos and audios and many articles.
Free Resources
Child Training & Routines: Biblical Parenting Principles #5
We must take the time and initiative to train them to comply with the routine. The repetition of routines goes a long way toward building up confidence, experience …
Ephesians 6:4 Obedience requires training 'discipline and ...
Ephesians 6:4 ~ "Obedience requires training" is part 4 of 5 of The Bible Teaching Commentary series on Ephesians 6:1-4 which outlines the parents' ...
Ephesians 6:1-4 Children Obey Your Parents in the Lord - The Bible ...
Ephesians 6:1-4 ~ "Children Obey Your Parents" is part 1 of 5 of The Bible ... C) Obedience requires training (Ephesians 6:4) | Bible Study Questions ...
Ephesians 6:1-4 Bible Study Questions on Children Obey Your ...
How does obedience relate to having a good life and living long? What are the three things fathers are told to do in Ephesians 6:4? What does it mean not to ...
Ephesians 6:1-2 Children Obey Your Parents; Honor father and ...
Ephesians 6:1-2 ~ "Children Obey Your Parents" is part 2 of 5 of The Bible ... C) Obedience requires training (Ephesians 6:4) | Bible Study Questions ...
Ephesians 6:2-3 Obedience brings profit "may be well with you ...
Ephesians 6:2-3 ~ "B) Obedience brings profit" is part 3 of 5 of The Bible ... C) Obedience requires training (Ephesians 6:4) | Bible Study Questions …
Godly Beginnings for the Family: Learning how to care for infants ...
Training and routines are also included. We applaud the desire of new parents to be the best parents in the world. With a little knowledge, they can be. Without ...
Parents' Good and Bad Influence on Children. Exodus 20:5-6.
Enable parents to understand, use and create effective routines to further the training of toddlers and older children. #6 Correcting Your Children Properly deal ...
Starting Families Right: Godly Beginnings for the Family: Learning ...
... Plan | Preparations for Childbirth | Tender Newborn Care | Challenge of Child Training | Disciplining & Training Small Children | Setting up Godly Routines ...
Disciplining Training Small Children: Godly Beginnings for the ...
Routines are closely associated with the training of doing the proper things at the ...
Setting Boundaries for Children: Biblical Parenting, Session #8
Parents should set the detailed routine for getting up or going to bed. This would include ... Routines are good and necessary for raising a healthy child.
Principles & Practices of Biblical Parenting: Raising Godly Children ...
Are you trying to implement better routines for homeschooling? Do you wish your children would get along better with each other? Are you attempting to figure ...
The Challenge of Child Training: Godly Beginnings for the Family ...
Security is learned by normal routines and fulfilled expectations about his key ... If the baby in a routine finds that his mother comes for him time after time after he ...
Family Commitment: Godly Beginnings for the Family: Learning how ...
... Plan | Preparations for Childbirth | Tender Newborn Care | Challenge of Child Training | Disciplining & Training Small Children | Setting up Godly Routines ...
Family Planning & Birth Control: Godly Beginnings for the Family ...
... Plan | Preparations for Childbirth | Tender Newborn Care | Challenge of Child Training | Disciplining & Training Small Children | Setting up Godly Routines ...
Principles and Practices of Biblical Parenting– Raising Godly Children
Child Training & Routines. English || Chinese. Enable parents to understand, use and create effective routines to further their parental training.
A Case Study on Delinquent Youths - 2 Samuel 12-18
#5 Child Training & Routines (New) Enable parents to understand, use and create effective routines to further the training of toddlers and older children.
Catch : Confront : Correct – The Proper Correction of Our Children
Plan | Preparations for Childbirth · Tender Newborn Care | Challenge of Child Training | Disciplining & Training Small Children | Setting up Godly Routines ...
