John Rosemond is a well-known pro-spanker, giving seminars and writing newspaper columns on parenting.  Despite having a master's degree in psychology*, Rosemond rejects the last four decades of psychological research, including all the research proving the many harms of hitting children.  He claims "mental health professionals have cut one idea after another out of whole cloth" (p.3)  Rosemond rejects the positions of the American Psychological Association and aligns himself with the likes of James Dobson and other babywhippers: a punishing, aloof style of parenting, forcing children to obey immediately and without questioning.

Rosemond cloaks his method in religious jargon, insisting it is truly Christian, "traditional" and "pro-family".  But in reality his method is based on old wives' tales and negative myths about children, mixed in with crazy rants about the "neoliberal, secular elite" and "humanists" ruining America.

"Parenting by the Book" advocates hitting children and infants, and advises against being your child's friend. On p.1 he condemns Attachment Parenting and writes "There is but one correct way to raise a child" (Rosemond's way!). And on p.9 Rosemond claims God told him to write this baby-slapping book: "As I listened to God with an open heart, I realized that he had given me an assignment--this ministry to America's families that I call Parenting by The Book." Rosemond says he is a "messenger" of God, and "Writing this book is an act of submission to God's will" (p.10). Doesn't this remind you of Joey Salvati hearing God in the shower telling him to make child-beating instruments??

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QUOTES 
About how wicked modern children need more severe punishing:

p.111 "When Grandma disciplined, she was trying to hurt her child's feelings; she was trying to make her child feel guilty. Grandma understood that unless emotional pain was associated with misbehavior, misbehavior would continue unchecked."
p.189 "In any given situation, a child is inclined, by human nature, to do the wrong thing, not the right thing."
p.191 "Punishment is essential to proper discipline."
p.205 Rosemond makes wild claims about children's behavior: "The 'hidden domestic abuse epidemic': children who have passed their third birthdays who are hitting their parents on a regular basis. Eight-year-old children throwing wild tantrums, even in public, when they don't get their way; six-year-olds hurling vile curses at their parents and teachers; ten-year-olds becoming belligerently defiant when their parents tell them to do something. There seems to be no end to the outrageous behavior that is pouring forth from today's children." Of course the answer to these ridiculous claims is to hit children more: "Biblical child rearing...worked well for thousands of years."
p.206 More ridiculous claims: "What's changed is that all too many of today's kids are beyond mischievous--they are hazards to themselves and others."
p.213 Interestingly, Rosemond does not interpret the "rod" verses in Proverbs to mean hitting with a stick: "In every single instance where the word 'rod' is used in connection with the discipline of children, it is preceded by the article 'the'; therefore, it is being used figuratively, metaphorically--not in reference to something capable of causing physical pain or injury." Yet on the next page (p.214) he writes "I happen to believe that a properly administered spanking can be an appropriate example of the rod."
p.215 "There will certainly be times when it will be necessary, right, and just for you to punish your child."
p.217 "Children are antisocial by nature."

More Rosemond spanking quotes:

p.216 Rosemond blatantly denies the evidence of over 40 years of research on spanking children:
    "The usual anti-spanking argument consists of three equally misleading assertions:
        1. Spankings are likely to escalate into child abuse.
        2. Spankings teach children that it's okay to hit people who upset you.
        3. There is always an alternative to spanking.
    Not one of these claims is grounded in solid science or even good anecdotal evidence." This is an incredible denial by a psychologist!!! Spanking certainly does lead to much more serious abuse, including death of the child.
p.217 Rosemond again defies the mountains of research on spanking: "No compelling evidence exists that might even come close to supporting the notion that spankings cause children to believe hitting is an acceptable way of dealing with frustration or conflict. The most aggressive children, researchers have found, tend to be those who are never spanked! One study, done a number of years ago, found that aggression in children was most closely associated with permissive parenting." The most consistent finding in 100 studies on spanking is that it leads to more aggression!!! Interestingly, the "One study" is coyly not identified.
p.217 "Spankings seem to be most effective between ages two and six."
p.218 Rosemond claims Sweden had more child abuse after banning spanking (Of course! If you suddenly define spanking as abuse there is "more abuse" going on - duh): "The relationship between spanking and child abuse is paradoxical. Sweden outlawed parental spanking in 1979. A decade or so later, Bob Larzelere conducted a follow-up study in which he found that child abuse had increased significantly since the ban!"  This is a rare instance of Rosemond taking a "study" seriously - but only because it apparently agrees with his brutal attitudes toward children.
p.219 "I believe the hand is the only appropriate means of administering a spanking. I don't believe there's a good reason to think that a child who is properly spanked will be confused when the same parent who spanked him with his hand embraces him with loving arms when the spanking is over." Here we have the familiar formula: hit the child and then hug them. How can anyone believe this is not confusing to a child???
p.220 "Spanking should be reserved for the most serious of offenses, including belligerent demonstrations of disrespect toward or defiance of parents or other legitimate authority figures, stealing, lying that was hurtful to others, and assault." By this definition, Rosemond should be spanked for lying about all the research on spanking, defying the American Psychological Association, and for assaulting his children.
p.220 "The parent should sit down with the child and make sure the child knows why what he or she did was wrong and why the parent has decided on a spanking--to wit, to emphasize the seriousness of the offense. With toddlers, however, there are certainly times when a swift pop or two to the rear, without a prior conversation or even so much as a warning, will be appropriate. Ideally, spankings should take place in a private place, and the parent should stay with the child until his or her distress has passed, at which time the parent should reassure the child of the parent's abiding love." Spanking + Love = A Messed Up Child
p.221 "To equate spanking per se with child abuse is demagoguery." (Demagoguery means gaining power by playing on people's emotions and prejudices.)
p.222 Rosemond is against laws banning spanking: "For antispanking hysterics, Lieber's law was only a test case. The real intent is to insert government into the parent-child relationship and eliminate parental discretion in discipline. Antispanking law will put us on a slippery slope." (Lieber's law was to ban hitting children aged 3 and under in California.)

Throughout the book Rosemond decries "psychobabble" and "Parent-Babble", yet Rosemond's advice is truly crazy and not grounded in reality. "Trying to talk children into behaving properly. I call this 'yada-yada discipline'" p.110 - it's hard to believe a psychologist would say this! Hurt them and hit them instead!! Being spanked sure messed Rosemond up, that's obvious.

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Thank you for speaking up for children!!!
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* Western Illinois University, 1971