Question: I get very upset because my two-year-old boy will not sit still and be quiet in church. He knows he's not supposed to be noisy, but he hits his toys on the pew and sometimes talks out loud. Should I spank him for being disruptive?
Answer: Your question reveals a rather poor understanding of the nature of toddlers. Most two-year-olds can no more fold their hands and sit still in church and listen to the sermon than they could swim the Atlantic Ocean. They squirm and churn and burn because they must. You just can't hold a toddler down. All their waking hours are spent in activity, and that's normal for this stage of development. So I do not recommend that your child be punished for this behavior. I think he should be left in the church nursery where he can shake the foundations without disturbing the worship service. If there is no nursery, I suggest, it is possible from a financial point of view, that he be left at home with a sitter until he is at least three years of age.
Dr. Dobson Answers Your QuestionsBy Dr. James Dobson