What is the true meaning?

Question

Spare the rod, spoil the child
Can someone give me this true meaning and not a guess or an opinion. Thanks so much.

Manhatan g
rhiamon
labgrr
stormy
jan,
rcjlrc
golden smile
I did not ask for your own personal interpretation. You are all wrong.

n_c mommy, did you make this up?

Answer 1

Parents in the old days used to punish their children by hitting them with a rod. Hence the saying that if you did not punish your children when they were bad, they would be spoiled ( and not growing up to be good people).

I disagree with any form of corporal punishment, by parents, teachers or anyone, and considered it servere child abuse. However, the saying may not mean corporal punishment per se but may also mean you must discipline the children in some way when they are bad or they won't repeat the bad behavior.

Answer 2

Its to give your kids a spanking when they have done wrong preferably with a stout stick. It is not for giving your kids a time out that I would recommend.

I get a kick out of the religious sometimes twisting the statements in the bible to suit their needs and a other times taking what is written literally. Don't you feel the hypocrisy?

In the same vein I was told that the word hate means to love less.
In the second link it is said if you spare the rod you hate your son. It seems pretty clear to me what hate means there.

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:26

I was told that here Jesus meant 'to love less'.

However Jesus used the word 'hate' wickedness and other things. I think it is more than clear that He did not mean 'to love less' in these other instances so why would it be different here.

Also why can you just arbitrarily ignore the pieces of the Old Testament - picking and choosing which parts of the Holy Bible to consider right and other pieces to consider wrong. The whole bible is meant to be Truth. If it is not true then how can we believe the other parts.

Children need a lot of care and sometimes a time out or they may have lot of trouble in school, be wild teenagers, and bad adults. Also, there are many that use corporal punishment and a strict adherence to the bible as interpreted by their Christian church.

Answer 3

The true meaning is simply if you withold disciplinary actions for a child, then you are allowing the child to have whatever they think that want.

Simple explanation is that children with think only for themselves. They are selfish - which is understandable, seeing as how they don't have the means to take care of theirselves. I say so that you will see that they will do whatever pleases them. When you exact discipline on them, it's not about hurting them. It gets their attention and points to the fact that there are guidelines that they have to abide by, and consequences for their actions.

If this isn't done, the child will do whatever they want. Unfortunately, this happens all too much and the child grows into an adult with this loss mentality. When they end up getting caught they have problems accepting responsibility for their actions. Take these greedy tycoons for example that had no remorse in robbing the lowly workers under them of their life savings.

Spare the rod = spoil the child = many suffer for their actions.

Answer 4

There have been excesses in everything. There is sometimes an excess in discipline. Sometimes an excess in "laisser faire". The word for "rod" refers to a flexible branch, which thus avoids doing any real harm. This "rod" becomes symbolic of the unpleasant aspects of discipline. Certain times it may need to be used literally. But all discipline becomes included in this word.
Those who neglect to discipline their children are doing them no favour. It is definitely not an injunction to beat your kids every time they hiccup the wrong way.
People who "spank their kids daily, need it or not", should try paying a traffic ticket every day, whether they need it or not!
Also, parents should stop and think: if a policeman lets them off occasionally with a warning, he is not doing harm. But if the policeman never gives a ticket, when you are blatantly disobeying traffic laws, he is encouraging you in bad habits. That's what happens with our children.
There are other texts in the Bible about not irritating, or aggravating our children. So in bringing up one's children according to biblical principles, it is important to take in consideration ALL the Biblical principles. Other wise, you can have a very unbalanced child, because of an unbalanced upbringing.
EDIT:
In any case, one must never, never use a "stout stick". It is wrong, and it is dangerous. What if you miss the padded spot and hit the kidneys?

Answer 5

In Biblical times and even in some modern societies corporal punishment was an acceptable form of discipline.

The principle to be drawn from the verse is that you should not neglect disciplining a child for when you do you will have an unruly, child on your hands. There are other forms of discipline other than corporal punishment.

Hope this helps.

Answer 6

* My interpretation is that a good parent who loves his child pays attention and guides the child's behavior in the right direction.

+++++

Spare the rod and spoil the child - Meaning:
The notion that children will only flourish if punished, physically or otherwise, for any wrongdoing.

Origin:
From the Bible, Proverbs 13-24 (King James Version):
He that spareth his rod hateth his son.

Answer 7

In the bible it says take a rod to a child it will not kill him this means give your child strong disipline and if you dont disipline the child you spoil him and he does not walk down the right road, example if 2 children grow up together and ones mom disiplines him and teaches him right from wrong that child grow up with respect for people and property, the second child is alowed to do as he wants well he grows up with no respect for people or property and more than likely stays in trouble.

Answer 8

the yankee thanksgiving honors the english pilgrims and local human beings who shared a non violent meal in 1621. Thanksgivings have been traditionally uncommon activities that celebrated a fulfillment or solid fortune. the form in 1621 celebrated their first efficient harvest by the community human beings. It wasn't till 1863 that it became national annual holiday commemorating the form in 1621.

Answer 9

In times of yesteryear, corporal punishment was considered normal, even ~de riguer. Hence, it was thought that if parents did not punish kids (spare the rod), then the child would be spoiled.
never learn good behavior)

Answer 10

It means if you never teach your child right from wrong, your child will grow up as a spoild brat. On occassion it requires a spanking. Or for a small child smacking their hands when you tell them not to touch something.