Posts by Steph, M.S.Ed
Let God be True, but Every Man a Liar
“Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die. You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol” (Proverbs 23:13-14, NASB). So many Christians believe this verse and the other “Rod” verses are to be taken literally. Some very watered down…
Read MoreDonia’s Testimony
Another testimony from someone who was “lovingly” spanked/hit by her well meaning Christian parents, and yet, was harmed. Pro-spankers, please do not dismiss these real stories. After all, if spanking is so “godly,” why do you call people harmed by spankings “spoiled brats? Here is Donia’s story: “This was how I was raised. Spanked ‘biblically’…
Read MoreSinful Children?
I was recently asked why gentle Christian parents and advocates don’t talk about sin when it comes to children much. The answer is because what most Christians believe is sin in children usually isn’t. A toddler saying, “no!” when asked to do something isn’t sin, it’s the child exploring independence and boundaries. A preschooler crying…
Read MoreAbout Typing With My Nose
What’s on my mind? You know, CP is a very small part of who I am. I am extremely blessed to be alive let alone living an as “normal” as possible life…Something I dreamed about since I was little. I could be profoundly mentally disabled due to no oxygen for 40 minutes at birth. I…
Read MoreThe Prince of Peace vs. The Prince of This World
A while back, a Christian pro-spanker said that I was doing the work of the devil after engaging in a discussion about why spanking/hitting children is neither Biblical nor from God. When this person learned about my book, Gentle Firmness: Conveying the True Love of Jesus to Your Children Through His Example, he got even…
Read MoreIs Raising Children The Same As Raising Animals?
Many Christian pro-spankers such as James Dobson and Michael Pearl equate animal training with child rearing. Pearl claims that training children is much like training “stubborn mules.” Dobson uses an example of whipping his tiny dog into submission to taming a toddler. They believe that training children and animals…
Read MoreAttachment Only By Day? – Part 2
Note from Hermana Linda: This is the continuation of a conversation in the comments of Steph’s article on Attachment Theory. Read Part 1 here. This exchange starts here. Hi Steph, thank you for your kind reply. I totally see your point. I didn’t mention the details on how my child responds when separated. She ofcourse…
Read MoreDon’t Make Children Lie
Last night, my husband and I watched, “The Andy Griffith Show,” and it was the one where Opie was having fun pretending to have a black horse named Blackie. Andy, Opie’s dad, and Barney and Aunt Bea all had fun with this. Well, Opie goes off into the woods and meets a lineman named, Mr.…
Read MoreAttachment Only By Day? – Part 1
Note from Hermana Linda: We appreciate getting comments and read every one. This comment from Jo about Attachment Theory elicited such an insightful response from Steph that I have decided to highlight it here. From my personal experience with my own child, if you provide consistent care and love in meeting the needs of…
Read MoreDiscipline VS Neglect
Note from Hermana Linda: We appreciate getting comments and read every one. This comment from Pam is so long that Steph decided to respond in a post, so here it is. Hi Steph, Though I don’t consider myself to be “pro” spanking, I am pro-discipline, and I do believe that infrequent spanking can be part…
Read MoreIs Defiance Real?
I have been thinking a lot about defiance lately. Is it real when it comes to young children? Most parents would emphatically answer, “Yes” to this question. I am not so sure though. According to dictionary.com, defiance is defined as “A daring or bold resistance to authority or to any opposing force.” To me, this…
Read MoreDiscipline without Harm Part 1
In this series we will be looking at how to biblically discipline our children without inflicting pain on them or harming them in any way. Some of the discipline strategies that we will be discussing throughout this series are modeling, child-proofing, validating feelings, fulfilling the child’s physical and emotional needs, setting realistic limits and boundaries,…
Read MoreThe Christian History of Spanking Part 1
This page was part of the rough draft of the soon-to-be-released book, “Gentle Firmness,” by Stephanie Cox. You may read a few chapters from the book here. For your sharing convenience:TwitterFacebookemailPrintTumblrDiggdel.icio.usStumbleUponAdd to favoritesReddit
Read MoreSpanking is NOT God’s Will Part 8
More information on the Book, Gentle Firmness, by Stephanie Cox ( part 1 ) ( part 2 ) ( part 3 ) What is grace? This is the question running through my head as I wrestle with a bit of discouragement as children continue to be harmed by well-meaning people who want so badly to…
Read MoreSpanking is NOT God’s Will Part 3
( Part 1 ) ( Part 2 ) I finished Samuel Martin’s book, Thy Rod and Thy Staff They Comfort Me today. Here’s more of what I have learned about God’s Word. Many Christian advocates of spanking children quote the following Proverb in order to support their philosophy that spanking children will save their souls from Hell. It says:…
Read MoreSpanking is NOT God’s Will Part 2
(Part 1) After reading and studying more today in this wonderful book by Samuel Martin and doing my own Bible study, here are some things that God has revealed to me. First, the book of Proverbs is the oldest book in the Holy Bible. While King Solomon and King Hezekiah wrote most of Proverbs, according to Martin’s…
Read MoreSpanking is NOT God’s Will Part 1
I am reading a wonderful book by theologian, Samuel Martin, Thy Rod and Thy Staff They Comfort Me. It’s clear from historic, contextual, Hebrew info on the book of Proverbs that we are NOT to spank (hit) children. The book of Proverbs was not meant for verses to be taken out of context. Even Jewish…
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