I officially ride the fence, how’s that for an emphatic maybe. Here’s what I said once I learned about what she was doing.
Well, quite frankly I hadn’t heard your own story and I can understand the concern of the “monsters.”
If God is truly moving you to “total nonviolence” then God will also bless it. BUT — I think it’s too easy to paint others’ somewhat different styles as “monstrous.” The touchstone of balance in chastising children is Ephesians 6:4 — “fathers, do not exasperate” (or provoke to rage) “your children, lest they lose heart.” The idea is not to get them to fear YOU personally, but to fear your specific displeasure at their misbehavior, if sweet reason is not enough to reach them. If the reaction is to burst into blind rage then you may have overdone it and you should moderate.
So I thoroughly ride the fence on this one.
Spanking is necessary sometimes, but is not the only answer all the time. It’s not a one size fits all solution.
Sometimes it’s a last resort, sometimes other discipline works better. It varies from child to child, and even from situation to situation and age to age with the same child.
Too bad that those who do use spanking when necessary are broad brushed as using only it all the time without restraint, thus portraying us as essentially child abusers. Especially when we are compared to them. It’s not hard to miss the implication.