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A Reader’s Critique of To Train Up a Child

August 31st, 2009 | admin | audiobook

Child training is often viewed from two extremes. Permissiveness is the first. The modern idea was made popular by Dr. Spock, who taught that discipline hindered the child’s evolution. Other parents spank their child for virtually everything they do wrong. These are indeed extremes and neither is taught in the Bible.

Back in 1994 Michael and Debi Pearl wrote the book To Train Up a Child and this was the beginning of their No Greater Joy ministry. Since then well over half a million copies have been printed of this best seller. The premise of the book is to teach parents how to train up their children rather than discipline them up.

Beyond theoretical platitudes, the book is filled with illustrations from real families, including their own, and laced with plenty of humor. The proof that it works in found in the fact that they successfully raised 5 children who have happy marriages. The teaching continues to be applies in the training of their 14+ grandchildren.

In the words of the Pearls themselves, one major goal of the books is, “no more raised voices, no contention, no bad attitudes, fewer spankings, a cheerful atmosphere in the home, and total obedience from your children”. Thousands have followed this counsel and have raised happy, obedient children. In fact, No Greater Joy magazine developed from articles responding to questions from To Train Up a Child. These articles have since been compiled into the three volumes of No Greater Joy books.

You might ask, Where did the Pearls find a secret in raising children?. In the Pearls’ own words, “These truths are not new, deep insights from the professional world of research, but rather, the same principles the Amish use to train their stubborn mules, the same technique God uses to train His children. These principles are profoundly simple and extremely obvious. After examining them with us, you will say, ‘I knew that all along. Where have I been? It’s so obvious.’”

The book emphasizes training. Parents learn how to be proactive in training before disobedience occurs and that without losing fellowship with the child by either being a buddy or a bully.

The authors promise, “The stress will be gone and your obedient children will praise you and bring joy and peace into your home. Thousands have testified to the amazing results of these profoundly simple techniques”

Here are a few of the chapter titles: The Rod, Selective Submission, Parental Anger, Potty Training, Safety Training, Emotional Control, Self-Indulgence, and Bullies. You get even more if you purchase it now for recently To Train Up a Child was updated and expanded, yet remains reasonably priced.

Parents don’t have time for a hit and miss approach to child rearing. They demand something that works. To Train Up a Child does just that in only 122 pages. If you feel like a parental failure or know someone who does, this six dollars may be a life-changing investment.