Michael Pearl and Extreme Child Discipline, Plus 'Miracle Dog' & Healthy Cooking with Rocco DiSpirito
Anderson speaks with Michael Pearl, the controversial preacher who claims in his book, “To Train Up a Child,” that God wants you to spank your kids. Pearl, who made headlines recently when his book was been found in the homes of several families whose kids have died after suffering terrible beatings and abuse, discusses with Anderson whether or not he feels any responsibility for what these families have done to their children. Anderson also speaks with a woman who used to adhere to Pearl’s methods -- and what she witnessed during teaching sessions. Anderson speaks with a leading psychologist to discuss their take on Pearl’s methods and the long-lasting physical and emotional damage it can cause.
Anderson also meets “Miracle Dog” Daniel, a beagle mix who survived an Alabama dog pound gas chamber, and speaks about his amazing survival with his new owner, Joe Dwyer, who recently adopted him.
Plus, celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito teaches Anderson how to prepare healthy dishes for the holidays.
Get Rocco's recipes!
Comments
I'm an 18 year old girl. I was smacked when I was a child, I am not depressed, I am not violent and I am not traumatised.
My parents and grandparents used their hands, wooden spoon and belts. There is NOTHING wrong with punishing a child when they have done wrong and if the parent can not see when it is turning into abuse then that is there problem, it has nothing to do with Michael Pearl and his opinion on raising children. I am disgusted that Anderson and the audience asked Michael to come on the show yet they would not give him a chance to explain and answer questions. A child needs to be taught what is right and what is wrong and if they do not listen when the parent says no then they deserve a smack to realize there are consequences to bad behaviour. Sitting them in a naughty corner isn't going to do anything.
The parents that murdered their children, murdered their children. It has nothing to do with a book.
I highly doubt you would invite a priest onto the show and abuse him about his opinion and the fantasy book he follows which excuses murder and judgement.
I just saw the video sent by Joanna Wheeler and was horrified by it! My heartfelt thanks go to her for helping to expose Michael Pearl's monstrous teachings. I love your show, Anderson! Thank you for all you do to educate about child abuse.
I jus*****ched the horrific video on YouTube sent by Joanna Wheeler and send my heartfelt thanks to her for helping to expose this monstrous man. Thanks again to Anderson for bringing Michael Pearl's insanity and cruelty to public attention. I love your show, Anderson! Please keep up the good work and do more shows about child abuse.
For those of you who think that your child is actually Gods gift and a privilege that we need to honor and protect as he -she has been entrusted to us by God to take care of she -he ,there is a wonderful campaign to stop Amazon from selling books that promote child abuse. Many children are suffering because of books like this, some children have DIED as we know! OK,here is the campaign https://www.facebook.com/amazonpetition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hNtNZsS0U4
GOT TO SEE THIS!
This is a fascinating video to say something, the REAL MICHAEL PEARL, not the proper man who talked to Anderson. He has tried to block this ,so let's see if this sees the ligh in this forum.
Anderson, I hope you could do something about stopping authors like this from profiting from the pain they cause to innocent children.
Maybe some of these people who dont understand what theyre talking about should actually stop ignoring the facts in Mike Pearls book... every time he rebuttals the arguments that make him sound like he is advocating abuse, they change the subject a little bit, theyre real slick to not answer him back (because they cant anyway). Maybe Anderson should get some real down to earth people who do godly discipline on their children, and not these paid actors. My wife and I have 2 children so far, my 2 1/2 year old son is more well behaved than most 14 year olds because we lovingly discipline. We have Mike Pearls book and CD on "to train up a child" and NOWHERE is it to be found that he advocates abuse and murder. GET SAVED AND READ PROVERBS you phony actors! Most these people who say we shouldnt spank probably have druggies and drunks as children.
In love and in Christ Jesus the ONLY Saviour,
-Steve Heebner
I think that those crimes were unrelated to Michael Pearls book. I think that they were racially motivated & opportunistic. White foster parents, black foster children, & opportunity can be a horrible combination. Also do you know that you can hit a child much harder with your hand than you can a belt? You can use your hand and knock you child unconscious accidentally, a whack with a belt would not do that. Also violence is not taught just by spanking, I know plenty of kids that get in fights at school & they do not get hit at home. You have violence on TV the best movies made are the violent ones, like saw. Look at the video games that we love, Street Fighter, Mortal Combat, Ghost Recon, Gears of War, Modern Warfare Saints Row Grand Theft Auto, Dante's Inferno, Bayoneta??? Guns have gotten bigger over the years not belts.
I think people are very confused about what a spanking is. It is an open-handed swat on the butt or thigh or swat with a belt or paddle on the butt. None of these methods leave marks, bruises, or welts. Conversely, a beating is vastly different and I believe even if one didn't graduate high school, the difference would easily be distinguishable. You know if you are spanking your child and if you are beating your child. There is NO thin line, and there is no excuses.
I got spanked as a child (with a belt and a switch) and I don't think I was abused at all. I think my parents loved me enough to teach me that what I was doing was wrong.
As a teenager, I NEVER got into any of the 'typial teenage mischief' (i.e. talking back, cursing at my parents, screaming at them then running away and slamming my bedroom door, sneaking out, smoking, drinking, drugs, matter of fact, I was a virgin until after I graduated). This type of behavior is displayed on every TV show that showcaes children as if it were ok. IT'S NOT! Nor is it cute or funny! Perhaps if the children on these television shows were spanked they would have more respect for their parents!
I THANK MY PARENTS FOR SPANKING ME.
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I'm 14 years old and I was spanked until I was around 11. I have no issues with depression or emotional trauma. I think my parents knew the difference between spanking and abuse and I think that if a parent doesn't know the difference they can easily cross into abusive territory. Its okay from my prospective to be afraid of my mother, I love her to death but I would never talk back to her or hit her because she would hit me back, and that fear for ones parents is a natural respecting fear. I consider myself a respectful person but I have a tendency to mouth off, and when I did/do I still get popped in the mouth, but AFTERa fair warning. I don't really know where I was going with this I just thought people deserved a child's opinion.
I agree with Pearl. That so called psychologist that said animals don't punish their young is living in a dream world.
She should have just a little clue before she spews off, obviously she is clueless about the animal world.
It is preety hard to learn discipline out of a book.
She should come the farm and see what cows (for an example) do to thier young when it is time to quit sucking.
I live in the rural south, and you can image this kind of thing is fairly common. My sister & I differ on this subject so she decided to make it a facebook conversation today. Most people were for spanking, & one lady said she had been spanked with a horse whip, fly squatter, etc., and found nothing wrong with it. She explained she did it to herself. For the most part, people quoted the bible scripture: "spare the rode, spoil the child." I am mostly concerned with the long lasting affects of spanking (aggression/ depression), along with the possibility of abuse. Likewise, I believe its a lazy parent's tool. Its fairly easy to spank a child in order to receive instant obedience with out thinking of the long-term consequences. The notion feeds directly into our instant gratification society. But to refute the religious argument, I presented this one:
"I understand, especially here in the south, we come from a long tradition of corporal punishment. As it pertains to history, we also use to have a long tradition of slavery that was not only excused by the Bible but condoned by it. We can all agree to own another person is immoral & saying I should not have an opinion because I do not have children, is about like slave owners saying those without slaves should not have an opinion. Both subject matters deal with the issue of the treatment of those who can not defend themselves at that particular moment. And like corporal punishment, slavery had a lot of supporters. I do not believe Sarah beats her children, but you cannot convince me that something that would be considered assault & battery on an adult is acceptable for a child!"
She received 78 hits from her post & not one of them felt spanking was wrong. Very sad to me.
i was in fear for my life at my job no one would listen, so i dont expect you will . it s worth a try. i seen dangerus thinges were people could die when i told my forman about it all thay could think of is to get rid of the snitch ya me . the employment office was only enterested in the fact that i was given a choice do the job or go home well i went home. in fear of my stiches braking inside my stomic two weekes befor i had my apen***** taken out. my supervisor wonted me to cut fenders out cuz i was the only one left that knew how to cut them. im not good at this call me if interested 405 202 8395
I guess what I am trying to say is that it seems as if the parents are being brainwashed. (Through the book?) I think that everyone should read his book...if nothing else, for insight on why alot of what is in the book is wrong. It seems like there may even be acceptable actions in the book. But DO NOT study it like it is the Bible. Don't let it brainwash you into sitting your common sense aside while an innocent child dies. Use COMMON SENSE. Take from the book the teachings that you find acceptable and discard the ones you find harmful. I agree with you completely that it often times causes a disconnection between parent and child. But I just think that everyone should get as informed as possible...even if that means reading the book-because there is a line between discipline and child abuse, and we need to use common sense to tell the difference. Don't let the book brainwash you. Every child is different. Every situation is different. One disciplinary action is not going to work for EVERY child. I'm not saying I am completely for or against the book and its teachings- but just because a pastor wrote it, doesn't mean that it is the Bible, so don't study it like it is.
Actually I can answer some questions about the adopted child. All of these kids had something in common. They had all been through previous trauma and neglect. If you do some research on Liberia you will find horrific conditions that these poor kids came from. There was a civil war that contributed to an increase in orphaned kids. The acts done while that war raged on were absolutely horrible. Trauma changes a child's neurobiology. Please do some research into Bruce Perry's work and Van der Kolk's work on children and trauma. A child who has been traumatized and has a poor attachment to their caregiver, remember Lydia had been removed from everything she knew and come to live with people who were basically strangers to her, is stuck in flight, fight or freeze. They are stuck in the primitive parts of their brains, which impacts every behavior and every thought they have. They have much higher levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, and therefore their bodies and brains are always ready to either fight, flight or freeze. One way of flight when they literally can't get away from a situation is to disassociate. I have known some children adopted from orphanages who literally do not talk unless they are asleep. The only way their parents know that they are not mute is they hear them talk when they are asleep, which would be when their defenses are down. I am assuming, from experience and lots of research, Lydia most likely disassociated at some point and turned everything off so she couldn't feel the pain or the terror. She went on autopilot. This would have also increased her inability to think or process information that was being asked of her, therefore there was NO way she could have EVER given the answer these people were looking for. She was not being disobedient or willful. She was a terrorized terrified child who was stuck in a trauma response of of her past, that was being further exacerbated by poor parenting practices. In a nutshell she was doomed with these people and these methods.
once again please see these resources:
Dr. Bruce Perry "The Boy Who Raised as a Dog"
Dr. Van der Kolk-Complex Trauma Disorder paper
Attachment and Trauma Disorder Network
Dr Karyn Purvis "The Connected Child" EXCELLENT BOOK ON PARENTING CHILDREN FROM TRAUMATIC BEGINNINGS.
Read more: http://www.andersoncooper.com/episodes/michael-pearl-and-...