# Anne of Green Gables & GD



## SparklingGemini (Jan 3, 2008)

This is just a random thought and I wasn't really sure where to post it but thought it might go best here.

Anyway, does anyone remember in the later books of the Anne of Green Gable series where Anne has children?

The way she parents them is always referred to as "Experimental." She's against whippings and such and tries to teach children discipline through self-thought and intrinsic motivation. Kind of seems like a gentle discipline approach.

I don't know why this popped into my head. I was just sort of curious if anyone else thought the same.

I feel sort of inspired by her.


----------



## Uxor (Jun 22, 2005)

yoiu make me want to reread those books. loved them as a kid but i don't remember the discpline thing.


----------



## library lady (Sep 3, 2007)

Anne of Green Gables has been one of my favorite books. I may have to re-read them because I don't remember any mention of discipline. I guess that is where I got my weird ideas.


----------



## zinemama (Feb 2, 2002)

Anne of Ingleside is the one where she's in full-on mother mode. And yes, she does parent pretty GD, as I recall.


----------



## skreader (Nov 19, 2008)

I haven't read those books, but the Louisa May Alcott novels are rather GD. Look at "Little Women" and "Little Men". Especially "Little Men", where Jo runs a school.

In real life, Louisa May Alcott's father, Bronson Alcott was a teacher and a "progressive" teacher in the early to mid 19th century.
In 1834, he opened the Temple School in Boston. "Alcott's plan was to develop self-instruction on the basis of self-analysis, with an emphasis on conversation and questioning rather than the lecture and drill, which were prevalent in U.S. classrooms of the time."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronson_Alcott#Educator

http://www.alcott.net/alcott/home/education.html
(scroll down to the bottom)


----------



## labdogs42 (Jan 21, 2009)

That's so interesting. I read all of the Anne of Green Gables books when I was growing up. Maybe that's when the seed of gentle discipline was planted in my head!


----------



## dulce de leche (Mar 13, 2005)

Anne was pretty GD, but Gilbert was definitely pro-spanking. In Anne of Avonlea, it comes up in a school setting, and Anne finally hits a student. She regrets it, but it "works". In Anne of Ingleside, Susan Baker comments that they do have an occasional spanking at Ingleside, but never slapping. There is a short story (I can't remember which book, maybe Chronicles of Avonlea?) about a woman who adopts a couple of boys and refuses to hit them, so they get out of control until her beau takes them to the woodshed. There are also examples of Marilla and others shaming children (making Davy wear Dora's apron all day as punishment, etc). However, I think that for the time they were written they are GD. Most of the interactions with children are thoughtful and loving.


----------



## heartmama (Nov 27, 2001)

I read the complete series a few years ago. There was a consistent pro spanking theme. Rachel Lynde definitely advocates it. Gilbert was pro spanking through the series. Anne whips a student and decides it works. Later there is much talk about Gilbert whipping their (Anne and Gilbert's) kids, and the tension this causes.

After Rachel moved in with Marilla there was talk of whipping Davy (the boy in the set of twins Marilla adopts). But I do think Anne tried non-spanking techniques to win over Davy.

Honestly I thought Anne was incredibly dull after motherhood. Well, the book where her first baby was born (and died) was still pretty vivid and lively (the one with the neighbor married to the mysterious mentally unstable husband). But after that she was always bedridden and on the brink of death, and the housekeeper raised the kids in most of the books. In fact the housekeeper was so involved raising the youngest child that when Gilbert tried to spank the child the housekeeper grabbed up the child and forbid Gilbert from hitting him.

I thought the best parenting was revealed with Matthew and Marilla's response to Anne her first years with them. They were a good balance.


----------



## Breeder (May 28, 2006)

I never made it beyond the first books. I really think that Matthew's death was just too sad for me. I loved him.


----------



## OkiMom (Nov 21, 2007)

I just reread Anne of Green Gables and watched the movie this week. I love that book. My DH just ordered me the rest of them since I enjoyed the first so much (I haven't read the book since I was 12 and never read the others)


----------

