Discipline-To Spank Or Not To Spank

[damdemfries]

Ugh. I meant to modify, but accidentally deleted my post.

I don't think the government should make it illegal. It won't stop abuse. I have swatted my kids a few times (not beat them!), but I don't make it a habit. Most of the time, a stern talk, "the look" or time out works well.

[ultimatemind]

I still remember when you were considered bad parents if you didn't spank your kids.

[Denise7609]

I think it depends on the child. I'm not saying to beat your kid to a bloody pulp, but a lil pop on the butt to get a kid to straighten up never killed anyone. My oldest we could talk to her and reason with her my youngest wasn't so easy and we treated them the same way. Sometimes my youngest just need a little more "encouragement" to do right. But to each their own. I think the government is over stepping their bound though.

[Droid]

I agree that spanking should NOT be outlawed. As electricbarbarella already pointed out there is a big difference between a disciplinary swat and abusive beating (which is definitely wrong).

I was spanked as a kid, and I'm pretty sure I turned out ok. My parents only had to spank me once though before I got the message.

I draw the line though at babysitters spanking other people's kids. That is uncalled for.

I also agree with denise7609. Not all kids respond to being "reasoned with".

[daisybell911]

I am one of the parents who do spank. I don't do it very often and when after I do, we talk about what happened. My kids are wonderful children who also know when play time is over. I have to say that I agree wholeheartedly with EB's statement. To spank or not to spank is each parents decision that they must make for themselves.


I must add that it is nice to have this kind of discussion without it turning into an ugly debate.

[msthunder]

sanman said:

Once again...something I do not feel the Government should be involved with. Regardless of my personal views on spanking (not beating) a child, outlawing it is asinine.

I totally agree, sanny!

[Deleted]

I agree that the government needs to stay out of this one.

As for me, I don't exactly know what I will do when the time comes that my daughter will do things that warrant punishment. I've always said there's nothing wrong with a little swat (one swat...NOT a beating or a slap or anything like that) on the booty, but now that I have a child, I don't know if I'll be able to bring myself to do it, LOL!

I do agree with "the look". My mom had "the look" and when she did it, I knew I was in trouble and I stopped whatever it was i was doing. I am definitely going to practice "my look"!!

Last week, though, my husband and I were at the park with our daughter and all of a sudden, a young boy (about 5 or so) threw open the gate to his yard and ran across the street to chase his ball. His grandmother ran behind him (although a little ways behind) and when she caught him, she popped him a couple of times. Not hard or anything, but enough to get his attention.

I was like "Whip his ass, grandma, whip his ass!!"

[RioDuranie]

A spanking that leaves a bruise 24 hours later is considered child abuse.

I agree outlawing spanking wont stop child abuse.

Its the abuser who has to change not the child.

[Droid]

You don't want to spank so hard it leaves a bruise.

The point behind spanking is to get the kid's attention away from whatever they are doing wrong; not to actually hurt them. At least that's how I look at it.

[somenewromantic]

You can abuse a child without laying a finger on them--my mother had her moments when she could be very verbally abusive, which, in its way, is worse than physical abuse.

But I've been thinking about this question of raising my children--alot lately, since my sister (who doesn't live with her children, she lives with my family and I have called her out more than once for doing things I unequivocally disagree with--like dropping the F-bomb on the kids if they make her mad) moved in with us. I am a much different parent than mine were, and I have this argument often with her and my Dad, who scoff at my attempts to reason with my children, and explaining to them why they're being spanked, when that punishment has to be resorted to.

My parents didn't allow us to listen to rock music (so they thought!), no Halloween, and I wasn't allowed to date or wear makeup until I was 16. (And then I had to double date for a year.) And that's just the tip of the iceberg......and when I left home (and get this, they let me leave home to join the military, when I was 17)--BAD idea. Because that was the wildest bunch of people I had ever seen in my sheltered life--and I went positively wild for quite awhile. My parents were shocked and horrified when they came to see me for the first time after I'd left home. I'd been gone for a mere six months, but it might as well have been six years, such was the change in me.

So, how are you different from your parents--not just in the spanking department, but in all aspects?