Never spare the \\\'rod\\\' and love the child

I have always objected to corporal punishment of children and could never understand why people who love their children would ever want to beat them or allow anyone else (teacher or others) to do so.

As a mother of two half-angels at times and half-monsters most other times, I can't help but agree with Sir Frank Peters when he says "the majority of children will drive you up the wall and many are naturally curious to see how high you will go," he wrote in humour. And then added: "but that's no justification for beating them".

Since my childhood I could never understand the expression 'spare the rod and spoil the child'. This is taken by most (including me) to mean beat your children to discipline them. I could not understand how the holy books could preach such cruelty and abuse.

The answer I found in Sir Frank's story.

In Proverbs 13:24 it states, 'He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him'.

Sir Frank's  article points out that in Hebrew, the word translated as 'rod' is the same word used in Psalms 23:4, "thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me". The shepherd's rod (or staff, as it's sometimes called) is used to GUIDE the sheep to prevent them from straying and is never used to beat them.

The truth struck me like a bolt of lightening from Heaven.  The proverb correctly translated would read: 'spare good guidance and spoil the child', which makes good sense.

Can you imagine great holy men like Muhammad (PBUH) or Jesus, who preached universal love, beating a child? - I cannot. Corporal punishment in schools and homes must end.

Halima Annis

Mirpur 1

 halima.annis@yahoo.com