Gentle (Grace-full) Parenting

Our Toolbox is a great post from Dulce de leche full of "how to" parent gently ideas. Parent gently as in non-combative parenting. *coughs*

Found Dulce's post through a comment she left on another gal's post on the How's of Discipline--another great post with a lot of practical suggestions for mothers of young(er) children who are trying to find alternatives to the more confrontational parenting methods typically espoused in Fundamentalism (and a lot of other -isms too). Great hands-on ideas in the comments on that post too!

If you suspect that I found HH's post through a convoluted series of links, you're right. ;-) That romp of blog-hopping started with a comment on Thatmom's site, who incidentally also has a great post up about nurturing children for the glory of God, also well worth reading.

Karen (Thatmom) gave me a little Greek lesson tonight (I pulled out my interlinear GNT just to check). Hebrews 12:6 (For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth) is frequently trotted out by proponents of "spare the rod, spoil the child" in answer to the objection that perhaps Proverbs regarding spanking are proverbial--not necessarily instructions on how to spank. "See, here's New Testament proof that God condones spanking AND if you don't spank your children you're sinning." (The "you must spank or be in sin" idea comes more from Heb 12:7-8 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. "See? God spanks His kids!")

What Karen pointed out (completely apart from any discussion on spanking), is that the word "chastens" in the Heb. 12 passage is from the same Greek roots (paideuo/paideia) as "nurture" in Ephesians 6:4 (And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.). Kinda puts a different light on some things... especially since paideuo is also translated as teaching/taught/learned/instructing!

The point of parenting is to teach your children. What are your parenting methods teaching your children??