Disciplining children

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. [Psalm 127:3]

And Jesus says,

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. [Matthew 18:10]

However,

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him. [Proverbs 22:15]

But,

He who sows iniquity will reap vanity, And the rod of his fury will perish. [Proverbs 22:15]

So although it may be true that though you strike the child with the rod he will not die (Proverbs 23:13)

If a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod and he dies at his hand, he shall be punished. [Exodus21:20]

Was a law the LORD gave to Moses

And when Paul wrote

What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness? [1 Corinthians 4:21]

I do not believe he was threatening them with physical harm,

But we have access to the word of God which

is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. [Hebrews 4:12]

And remember,

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; [2 Timothy 3:16]

And when using Scripture,

Two are better than one, and a cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. (Ecclesiastes 4:9, 12]

In closing, the standard given in the same book to strike the child says that

A king who sits on the throne of justice Disperses all evil with his eyes. [Proverbs 20:8]

References

Isaiah 11:4 – He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth

2 Samuel 7:14 – I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men

John 1:12 – But as many as received him, to them He gave the right to become children of God

2 Timothy 4:2 – preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

Matthew 12:42 – “The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.