ABSTRACT
In the foster care system, it is easy to see that reasonableness and good critical thinking skills are vital for the well-being of children. The system, at its best, makes decisions based on good reasons. One of the ways to help children develop reason is by helping them make sense of their lives: the way they think about themselves, others and the world they live in. Part of this is marking the years through special events and occasions. It helps to create a narrative framework for their lives. Violence against children in the home is often a function of religious beliefs that suggest the biblical approach to childrearing is “spare the rod and spoil the child.” In training courses on nonviolent re-parenting have found it necessary to tackle head-on the approach that says the Bible understood in this way is opposed to the reasonable and nonviolent care of children.
