To Train Up a Child: Child Training for the 21st Century
To Train Up a Child: Child Training for the 21st Century book cover

To Train Up a Child: Child Training for the 21st Century

Paperback – May 1, 2015

by
Price
$15.75
Format
Paperback
Pages
176
Publisher
No Greater Joy Ministries, Incorporated
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-1616440725
Dimensions
6 x 0.44 x 9 inches
Weight
8.8 ounces

Description

I highly suspect that the majority of the people reviewing this book haven't even read it… or because their parents were abusive, they think that everyone who spanks their child is abusive as well (striking a child out of anger is abuse-spanking a child for disobedience is not-the difference is thoroughly discussed in the book). I purchased this book expecting to find a manual on how to beat a child with rubber tubing-maybe even the inspiration for A Child Called It based on reviews. Well, I was disappointed but also pleasantly surprised. What I bought as a joke and novelty actually turned out to be an enlightening and valuable advice on disciplining young children. I applied some of the practices in this book immediately, and saw positive changes in my son's behavior the first day.--B. MooreI know you probably get way too much mail, but I just had to write and say THANK YOU, thank you for the updated To Train Up A Child. Wow!! I started reading yesterday and am already half way through. I've read the original at least 10 or 15 times in the past 3 years, but this new version has SO MUCH that clarifies and encourages me as I train my two small children. I love how, in the new book, you consistently emphasize training before the need to discipline arises and speak so often about how parents MUST be involved before they can properly apply the rod. A parent who does not show up to read a book… should not show up to administer a spanking. (pg 94) Wonderful, true, biblical advice. Thank you so much for writing this book. It is SO good and your principles have made such a difference in our family, I just had to write and tell you. I share your materials with every parent I know!--A big thank you from a very appreciative, training mom!Your new chapter in To Train Up a Child is the BEST defense I have ever read on proper training. I have a few favorite quotes from it that I use often. Well done! 'All praise to Him who reigns above in majesty supreme.' Can't wait until we can all be together at our eternal Shindig! What a Day that Will Be!--A devoted reader Mike and his wife Debi author a free bi-monthly magazine called No Greater Joy, which explores child training, marriage, Bible teaching, and natural remedies. You are invited to visit them on the NGJ website and sign up for the magazine. Mike and Debi are international best-selling authors. Their books have sold over 2 million copies and have been translated into more than 50 languages. They have 5 grown children and 23 grandchildren so far with more on the way. Their home remains full of little running feet and is regularly strewn with books and toys. Mike is teaching a new generation of boys and girls how to fish and throw knives. Debi is teaching the girls how to cook and garden. On another note, Michael is an inductee into the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame and holds several world titles, including Gold Cup winner of 2008-9 and long distance thrower of the year, with a record all-time high of hitting a four inch target at 63 feet, and he is the undisputed best tomahawk thrower of 2009, holding the world title. Debi was raised in Memphis, Tennessee, in a good home by parents who were faithful to point her to God. As a teenager, Debi was actively involved in witnessing, ministering to the sick and wounded veterans, and serving in hospitals in Memphis. About twenty-four years ago, Debi and Mike moved to rural Tennessee where they continued in the work by holding Bible studies in local homes, which eventually led to regular meetings of the local body of believers and the starting of a prison ministry, where Mike ministered every Saturday for over twenty-three years. God eventually led Mike and Debi into the ministry of writing on child training and family relationships, which they now feel is their life's work and calling. The result of this work led to the formation of No Greater Joy Ministries (NGJ), a 501 (c) (3). The largest project that NGJ has ever been involved in is the Good and Evil Project, a work to translate the illustrated Bible storybook Good and Evil (G & E) into 100 languages. G & E has over 42 languages in print, and another 42 languages in the process of being translated or edited. To date, over 1,000,000 of her books have been sold in several languages. Her first book in the Help Meet series, Created To Be His Help Meet has sold over 370,000 copies in several languages.

Features & Highlights

  • To Train Up a Child, first published in 1994, began as a letter to a homeschool mother in answer to her question, "How did you train your children to be so happy and obedient?" Mike did not consider himself to be an author, nor did Debi possess the means or the knowledge to publish a book. They realized that it was a big subject that could not be put into a few pages, so they "wrote a book." Friends and neighbors were consulted, gleaning their views and methods of child training. They analyzed how they were influenced by the traditions they inherited from their parents, and they looked at the methods that were unique to their family. Twenty one years later, To Train Up a Child has sold over 1.2 million copies in twelve languages. TTUAC has been on Amazon's best-seller list several times. This new book has added chapters and several updates. Mike and Debi have received tens of thousands of letters of gratitude and been approached by thousands of young people thanking them for their infl

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(1.2K)
★★★★
20%
(772)
★★★
15%
(579)
★★
7%
(270)
★
28%
(1.1K)

Most Helpful Reviews

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Please Avoid This Guide.

I just wanted to see how abysmal it would be. There’s no way something can have thousands of negative reviews for no reason. (Of course, I don’t put stock into every negative review. I’ve seen some people admit to not finishing the novel or they aren’t on-topic. In addition, some people admit to not even reading the book!) I tried to check this out. However, no library had the book ,so I had to waste money on this.

My expectations were soon met because, the authors condoned beating children over trivial matters. They used multiple Bible verses (and even repeated some during one chapter) to justify their cruel methods. It doesn’t help that they claimed other methods were wrong. (I guess they were trying to make theirs look better) Also, they advise to use rods as a source of ‘comfort’. How would that be possible when the use of rods constitute abuse? (It becomes abuse when you use something other than your hand.)

In addition, they seemed to lack an understand of animal training. Soon after the book began, the authors insulted a couple of animals. Later on, they condoned animal abuse when they praised a woman write for DailyPuppy.com (which made me glad that I didn't use that website too much.) The aforementioned person admitted to using her hands to 'bite' puppies to 'train' them. That's never acceptable because, good results are never wrought. Either the dog shuts down or they develop behavior problems.

Their narrow mindedness became such a big issue. They took every opportunity to attack people for disagreeing with their archaic methods. It didn’t matter even if the attack was unwarranted or not. Also, for people who used understandable (and other forms of the words), they don’t show any amount of the concept.

Another big issue was their lack of knowledge.For instance, they didn’t know what permissive parenting entails. There’s no consequences, time-outs, or withdrawal of privileges. There is letting children do as they please and never using effective reprimands.

How are modern experts ignorant for maintaining children’s biggest issue is not loving themselves? Despite living in society where praise is doled out whether or not an accomplishment is made, that's just a sad fact of life. I was like that until age 14. Why would you look towards animals for parenting advice? Animals lack morality (some people wanting to believe otherwise) ,so there’s little to nothing stopping them from going overboard. Also, they're quiet violent at times. Do you want to raise a violent person? Why would you want the child to just obey one parent? That seems as though it could be a bad idea down the wrong.
55 people found this helpful
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I Got Physically Ill Reading This Book

These people don't love children or even like them; they're Nazis who want perfect obedience from little ones the same way Hitler demanded obedience.

I wonder if any of this crap is in Mein Kampf; I'm sure that Hitler would have loved the idea of pulling an infant's hair if he/she bites you during breast feeding. I am sure that Der Fuehrer would COMMEND the Pearl's for such innovative techniques of absolutely NOT letting your baby have any curiosity of the world whatsoever but to stamp it out immediately. Switch a four month old [I can't even believe I'm writing this] for climbing the stairs, smack the legs of a baby who moves off of a blanket by ENTICING the baby off the blanket. The Mengeles, I mean Pearls, should both be in jail for advocating not just physical abuse but emotional abuse to the extent that if you hear "Come here" you will tremble in fear of what happens if you don't GO THERE immediately.

Where on EARTH does it say in the Bible to take away a child's joy at discovering the world around them? To take away their wonderment at crawling and walking and playing without the fear of being switched for every little single thing you do that is not in line with the Pearl's bastardized notion of what is in the Bible.

They are applying scripture to BABIES for God's sakes [no pun intended] and I know that children have died out there because of using the Pearl's methods and the Pearl's have disavowed them ["they weren't following our tenets"] but I can easily see how that could happen and believe the Pearl's have blood on their hands.

To think that there are Christian parents out there [apparently Michelle Duggar employed blanket training and then took it off her website after the blowback she received] who believe this is the way "to train up a child" is nothing short of frightening.

Apply these principles and you too can raise a child who will grow up to be Josh Duggar. The Duggars don't think this happened out of a vacuum, do they? Applying the Pearl principles took away Josh's curiosity for NORMAL activities in life because he wasn't allowed to have any and turned it into an abnormal obsession with his sisters and young girls.

Amazon, please stop selling this book. It's a manifesto on how to destroy your child. You'll argue about First Amendment rights and I'll say that this is akin to yelling fire in a crowded theater.
47 people found this helpful
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Toxic and pathological.

I am a psychologist and have taught Developmental Psychology but I hardly need to tell sane people that the advice in this book is both toxic and pathological, as is, apparently the person who wrote it. What I have read is the exact OPPOSITE of what any parent should do. How did this piece of rot get published?
24 people found this helpful
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Worst day of my precious baby’s life, and one of my worst days as well.

Years ago I read this book a few times. just read it again. There were two church groups, one in Louisiana and one in Oregon, that I was involved with at different times who promoted this book and the materials by the folks that produce this book.

Fast forward a decade and a half to now, I have 3 little girls aged 2.5y, 1.5y and 6mo. I was implementing this book and found it turned the girls’ motivations to rebellion and rage. Further, I realized, as the book emphasizes, that this will break your children... do I want to break my children?

Hmmm... was Catherine of Sienna broken as a child by her parents? Joan of Arc? Queen Isabel la Catolica? Kateri Tekakwitha? No. And they would not have accomplished ehat they had had they been broken.

Many families that used this book had children turn into massive rebels, turning to bad habits and bad lives. It was preached to me, and I believed, that it was because those families did not implement it correctly. Well, some of the “good” families had the same issues when their kids came of age.

I conclude that this is a book contrary to human dignity. It is contrary to Catholic philosophy on the human person. This book is a wicked book that will potentially destroy your child’s life. The sweet motivations and the curious motivations are turned into rebellion by the techniques in this book. Teach your children to will the virtuous, don’t train them to roll over.
23 people found this helpful
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Timeless Wisdom for an Untrained Generation of Parents

Everyone thinks they can just figure it out, but there are definitely some valuable insights in how to train children that aren't common knowledge in our culture. This book offers some great tips and perspective on learning to train better behavior into your children rather than relying on getting angry and disciplining them when their behavior gets too intolerable. Helps eliminate angry parenting, and creates much more enjoyable little people. Very powerful.
9 people found this helpful
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Call A Personal Injury Lawyer

If your parents abided by the advice in this book - call a personal injury lawyer. It’s time the authors of this book are held liable for the damages, abuses & child deaths that have occurred because of this writing & the authors speeches.
7 people found this helpful
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Before using, think twice, at least.

We bought this book years ago when attending an event in which the author spoke. We had young kids at the time and were searching for guidance on raising them in a godly environment. In short, we were gullible. Looking back, I now see the views and methods presented here as harmful and dangerous, teaching parents and children puritanical and punitive ideas that aren’t healthy for them or those they interact with. We’ve apologized and repented to our kids for any of these concepts we may have taught them. Also the author seems to have patriarchal views that are harmful to women, as evidenced by the session mentioned above, where he not only expressed these views, but publicly demeaned by wife when she asked a simple question.
7 people found this helpful
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Fodder for Twisted Minds

Unfortunately, this book to easily lends itself to the depraved minds of people inclined towards child abuse. More than one child has died at the hands of people claiming to follow the Pearl’s ideas. I also must add that hitting a baby in any context or manner is straight up abusive, and per the comments in other reviews here is a real thing in this book.
I might add that I grew up seeing plenty of aggressive brats who were spanked too often. Spanking is not a magic bullet by any means, and doing it to excess causes more harm than good.
7 people found this helpful
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1 Star

I can't believe Amazon allows this book to be sold on here when they have banned romance novels for being "too dark". This parenting book promotes illegal punishment methods hence why they give suggestions how not to leave bruises when physically assaulting your child. They know that their methods will result in a visit from authorities and CPS along with serious legal trouble if found out. Children are not animals and for anyone who needs to be informed of this which I'm sure are the people who would follow this parenting book's advice, it's also illegal to train animals how they advice to "train" kids. Unless you want to risk end up facing consequences that comes with being a child abuser such as being arrested for child abuse\losing custody of your kids, or having your kids go no contact with you and never allowing you to see your grandchildren or end up paying the ultimate price if the abuse ends up pushing your child over the edge...do not take the authors advice. Also, and I can't stress this enough...do not use the authors punishment methods on other people's kids like the authors have done because it could end very badly for you even if you have the parent(s) permission because they will throw you under the bus to save themselves if CPS and the cops find out. Kind of like how the authors did to the parents in the fatal child abuse cases linked to this book's teachings by downplaying\sugar coating the advice they gave that those parents stupidly followed.

I do have a positive thing to say about this book which is that it has given me a newfound appreciation and respect for my parents who used corporal punishment but was not abusive when doing it and no matter how much I angered them, they also never used torture methods on me or intentionally placed me in dangerous situations to "teach" aka traumatize me.
6 people found this helpful
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Needs thinner pages - poorly constructed :(

So helpful!! Just a little scotch tape and you've got yourself a self-assymble 0 waste diapers. However, it is poor reading material. Violent advice, a danger to civil society. Of all people around you, it's common sense that the last group you should ever behave violently towards are your own offspring. This is a manual for a sociopath. Good kindling, however! Not good toilet paper, clogs toilet. Needs thinner pages, would burn better and might go down drain.
6 people found this helpful

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