Is it wrong for a parent to hit their child?

[SailorWriter]

Just want to know.

 

[Padre Pio]

Of course, it is wrong to hit your children!

 

[for_his_glory]

There is a difference between hitting a child as far as it becoming abuse and disciplining a child for instruction without going overboard becoming abuse. IMO when they passed the law that children could no longer be spanked that is when many started disrespecting their parents. It did not hurt me and my siblings when my Dad took his belt off or my mother using a paddle. We learned lessons from that and to grow up being better adults.

Proverbs 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

Proverbs 23:13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Proverbs 23:14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

 

[citrus]

If a child reaches out to touch something hot than you have to be quik and snap that hand. You don't pause and try to count to 3. If a child is doing something wrong you discipline them and when explaining why you don't compromise with the child. I think it comes naturally. No child is going to change inwardly if you just say redirect the child and generally bend down to whisper to them, honey that is not okay. Yah right that child is going to scream or wack that parent in the face. Throw themselves around throwing a fit and being intorable. They are going to be stubborn and do what they want. You can't let a three year old be in control. They are 3. A parent is not. So why argue with a child and let them rule over you. I being spanking, but not beating your child. There is a difference. Make sure they understand. Sin and mistakes are not the same sin is wrong, mistakes are humane. They are accidents. Mistakes require explanation and patience. I got spanked one time and I'm glad I did. God disciplines the ones he loves. Reassure later,( not during) that you love them and talk to them, but discern the right time. Now I don't like this behavior. Don't do it again why? Yes because.......(insert here) make sure that they understand why they are in trouble and why you don't l Iike it. ( why because you love them. You don't want trouble in their lives and them not be prepared). You are not your child's friend until they are full grown adults. Don't try to reason on their level. They aren't capable. They are still testing the waters. This one women's son kept begging her to go to a party. There were going to be no adults and the parent did know the people. The kid started yelling I hate you blah blah blah. Your not their friend. Yes they should feel safe to talk about thongs to you, but you are the adult. The next morning she got a phone call. There had been drinking involved ( no suprise) and a group of them got in a car and got into a reck killing most of them. The parent was glad that she didn't have to be the one to tell their parents, I'm sorry my son killed your family members. No because she stood firm and been the adult. I never tried to sneak out of my parents house. Thank God I knew better. Parents are supposed to make their home a safe place.

 

[Who Me]

Just want to know.

Language used heavily influences how we think.

A full grown adult male punching a little baby, of course that is totally wrong.

A loving parent maintaining discipline that will involve a pain slap to a disobedient child is not wrong.


What about a parent who never carries out the promise of punishment to a naughty child!
Is that going to help or harm the child?

What is more damaging to a child.
To be ignored, not cared for, left to there oen devices or to be brought up in a caring home with strict rules about behaviour.

There are many forms of abuse other than violence.

 

[Tenchi]

Just want to know.

For what reason would a parent hit their child? Under what circumstance? Consider what God says about His treatment of His own children:

Hebrews 12:5-11 (ESV)
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

God's discipline of His children, depending upon their willfulness, can be EXTREMELY painful - far more painful than being paddled on the bottom. But God does not discipline out of anger and never disproportionately. He only uses as much correction as is required to train His child and from them produce the "peaceable fruit of righteousness."

Is hitting a child utterly "off the table" as a form of discipline? Well:

2 Samuel 7:14 (ESV)
14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,

Psalm 89:30-33 (ESV)
30 If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules,
31 if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments,
32 then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes,
33 but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness.

Proverbs 10:13 (ESV)
13 On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.

Proverbs 22:15 (KJV)
15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Proverbs 23:13-14 (ESV)
13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14 If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.

Proverbs 29:15 (ESV)
15 The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.