I will likely upset a few people with this post. Please know that I realize that parenting is very personal and we have no right to judge how someone chooses to parent (excluding abuse of course). With that said, I think this paradigm shift can be very useful to many of us who believe the myth that we can punish our children into obedience and goodness. Righteousness really isn't righteousness unless it is chosen without fear or coercion. Obedience resulting from fear is compliance, but not righteousness. Because God understands why we behave the way we do and because He understands that unmet needs often cause us to act irrationally, He is very patient with us. We can parent in the same way. When we see our children as not understanding what is expected of them or not able to handle emotional stress or unmet needs, we can likewise be as patient and understanding as God is with us.