Watching scenes like this, it’s hard to believe that parents traditionally considered it their duty to beat their children. “Spare the rod, spoil the child” really was standard advice, and spoiling the child was considered to be the essence of failed parenting. The Puritan Cotton Mather put it even more starkly: “Better whipt, than damned.” We’re not advocating a return to spanking, much less whipping, but we do think parents need to rediscover their roles as disciplinarians. That doesn’t mean being abusive or getting angry or imposing Draconian penalties. But it does mean taking the time to
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