Welcome to Douglas Wilson's Blog and May Blog, presented by Canon Press.

Pride and Paddy Walking Wednesday, June 8th, 2022.

Introduction.

A recent trend in some parenting circles is something that is called gentle parenting.

Unfortunately, the reaction against spanking that this represents and it is a reaction

is not going to be able to deliver on the promised gentleness.

There will be discrepancies between what is promised and what actually happens.

Now of course, gentleness is a trait most to be desired in bringing up little ones.

In writing against gentle parenting, I need to make it very clear that I am not in any way against gentle parenting if you follow me here.

I mean, look at how Paul describes his ministry among the Thessalonians.

Quote, but we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherished their children.

Verse Thessalonians 27.

So there is a gentleness in parenting that is fully and completely biblical.

Quote, like as a father pitieth this children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

For he knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we are dust.

Psalm 103, 13 and 14.

But there is also a parental softness and indulgence that allows hardness of heart in the children to grow and develop without taking any kind of effective action.

And in contrast with this, there is such a thing as a wise parental hardness that doesn't tolerate hardness of heart.

All parents are hard and all parents are soft.

But if you have been following this blog for very long, you might be able to anticipate the next questions.

Hard on what? Soft on what?

Important qualifier at the front end.

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