So. As my tweets on Michael and Debi Pearl and James Dobson et al might have indicated, I'm writing about Christian disciplinarian parenting. If you are a person whose childhood was shaped by this, and want to talk about it, please reach out at talialavinwrites @ gmail.
I promise to the best of my ability to treat your stories with care. I have my own experiences with trauma and faith that shape my interest in this topic. I hope to offer an informed historical and contemporary perspective on the drive for Godly corporal punishment.
I can offer pseudonymity to those who want it. I'd love to hear your perspective on how Christian-inflected corporal punishment has affected you, as a child and as an adult. If you feel so moved, please reach out: talialavinwrites @ gmail. ❤️
My DMs are also open!
I'm getting a lot of responses and am very grateful folks are willing to share. But it may take me awhile to respond to everyone!
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i cannot overemphasize enough that james dobson's most famous parenting book opens with him beating the crap out of a 12 pound dachshund with a belt for sleeping near a heater, and millions of parents bought the book and used it as a daily parenting guide
I am reading the Dobson book The Strong Willed Child (and I have several more lined up: To Train Up A Child, Raising Godly Tomatoes, Shepherding A Child's Heart) for this series. It is very difficult to read these. Just a very alien worldview focused on "breaking children's will"
P.S. No wonder these kids hate you James you absolute carbuncle
i ran for 40 minutes straight!!! (and then 2m walking and 10min more running). thats the longest yet!!!! only 4 more runs left in the program (although i am pretty far from running 6 miles as i am v slow). i love these stupid badges
at my current pace it will take 85 minutes of running straight to hit 6 miles. fml
ok i just read the first chapter of "to train up a child" for research and i want to crawl out of my skin. one of the most profoundly upsetting things I've ever read; no wonder the book is linked to children's deaths
the book advocates beating INFANTS 3 separate times in the first chapter alone, it has sold over 1.2 million copies, i am so sad rn
James Dobson's books The Strong Willed Child and Dare to Discipline seem to have been more influential but not really less violent. Apparently he talks about beating up his tiny dog and extrapolates from there! Don't beat your kids. My heart is with the survivors of this abuse.
i am now watching the diana musical on netflix and its one of the worst things ive ever seen. this interview is accurate. diana just sang about regretting marrying a scorpio theguardian.com/film/2021/oct/…
"nights like this, i envy the poor/their parties can't be such a bloody bore"
"it's the thrilla in manila/with diana and camilla"