I don't know how far back you followed the posts about child-rearing; there were several in a row that, taken in the aggregate, I, personally, found disturbing as a philosophical statement about child-rearing, although others seemed to find them commendable. I also found them sexist, but then I am a militant women's libber, and proud of it.
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As for a six year old threatening to kill his parents if they continued to beat him, I don't think that's psychotic, in and of itself. You can't blame him for wanting to protect himself from beatings. No one likes being beaten. The use of force against your children should be a matter of last resort. I've seen, as Nihil has, children who were severely damaged as a result of corporal punishment. I think fighting back is understandable, and commendable.
Last Sunday's Washington Post had an interview with Hal Holbrook, where he mentioned that he was singled out for severe beatings by the headmaster of his private school. As it turned out, the man was a homosexual with sadistic tendencies. I suspect that most people who publicly boast about beating their children are closet sadists. As for publicly boasting about winning contests of will with one's children, well, that's pathetic.
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