GRUNTHAL, MB

In a bold experimental parenting move, local Mennonite dad Tim Fehr spoke calmly with his 8-year-old son Nathaniel and explained the situation to him, rather than hauling out the belt. To the shock of the entire Fehr family, Nathaniel did not feel spoiled at all and instead demonstrated a mature and respectful tone the rest of the day.

“What my Dad said made sense. I shouldn’t be talking back to my mother like that,” said Nathaniel. “I’d never had anyone explain it me like that before. There was always just a spanking the moment I did anything wrong. But this whole talking-through-your-problems thing really worked out well for me. I actually prefer it to spanking.”

Researchers at the Centre for Mennonite Parenting say they’ve been noticing a trend toward sparing the rod in

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