You have probably heard the expression, "Spare the rod, spoil the child." Do you agree with it? Perhaps you were spanked as a kid. Was it appropriate? Some people see spanking as an outdated method of punishment or even child abuse, while others view a swat on the bottom as a parent's prerogative. Where do we draw the line when it comes to disciplining our children?
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In the first line of an obvious DISCLAIMER it states, --a thorough understanding of whether and how corporal punishment affects children has not been reached. This little tidbit of info would infer that the naysayers are busy paddling without a boat beneath them.
As a parent of two grown children, I profess that spanking is NOT a panacea. But just like cough syrup, when used properly it can SAVE the life of a child. Spanking works early on when a parent is striving to communicate with a child that is bereft of ANY conception of codes of conduct OR most importantly--DANGER! My children were made to hearken to voice command and NEVER ignore the parent. To do so could bring about a sudden pain in the backside.
I believe that it is infinitely preferable to raise a child a little fearful than having the little free-spirited brat squished by a pickup truck in the parking lot of Whole Foods because he/she were used to being negotiated with.
Just my opinion. I could be wrong.
- BLZeebub
August 19, 2008 6:56PM
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Both my children are adults now. When they were young they knew better than do something I had instructed them not to do. As the father it was my job to correct both my kids when they did wrong and I kept my belt handy. Both my kids knew if they stepped out of line what would happen. My kids are grown now and are professional in their employment, I could not ask for two better adults and we sit around laughing about the times I whipped their butts when they did wrong.
If all you super brains that profess to know child rearing better than the parents would shut your mouths, get married, have a couple of kids and try raising them using your warped understanding of raising a child, then you would know how important it is to smack them on the butt every now and then to get their undivided attention. By the way, if spanking is so wrong, then tell me why the prison system is filling up so fast with young people? Bet if dad and mom would have whacked them on their backsides a few times when they were younger, they would not be in prison.
- shadow November 23, 2008 4:10AM
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First, it's been proven that spanking for the most part just doesn't solve the problem. Spanking, like religion, only teaches children to fear punishment instead of teaching them why what they've done is wrong.
I was personally raised never having been spanked or punished more than being denied certain things for a day. Am I in prison? No! In fact, the worst trouble I've ever gotten into is detention for forgetting homework. The reason is that I understand why certain things are wrong and have empathy, instead of fear of retribution. You tell me which is the better and more responsible method? Or is being lazy and just abusing your child to shut them up better?
The reason our prisons are filling up probably has a little something to do with the massive rate at which our population is growing, greater poverty (a large source of crime), etc. We could always attribute it to spanking, but frankly, you've no evidence to back this up. I would think that teaching children WHY something is wrong would keep them out of jail better than to fear punishment. But that's just the logical conclusion.
Lazy parenting is not the best parenting.
- Blue Linchpin December 31, 2008 1:27PM
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Again, This is Rhetoric
- From Anonymous Expert
By Anonymous Expert - Parenting Expert
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Sweden has less child abuse
Rosemond's comment that Sweden had more child abuse after passing a ban on hitting children is FALSE. He (and Larzelere) should stop saying that. When a country re-defines child abuse to *include spanking* then of course, for a while at least, there is *more* abuse because you're now including all hitting as abuse.
Sweden has very little child hitting at this point, and extremely low levels of child injury and death from hitting. The US, on the other hand, where hitting children is legal in all 50 states, there is a very high level of child abuse, and injury and death from hitting.
- SojournerTruth
August 1, 2008 10:55AM
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Definition of abuse is different in every country
Yeah when you redefine a word for law, it does change how you view stats. For instance, in Sweden, it isn't a criminal act (or even a punishable act) to spank your child (not technically considered domestic violence). It's something that the Swedes demand counseling for, etc. So "abuse" is not as severe as how we think of it in America. I think of "abuse" as something that should be SEVERELY punished to ensure it doesn't happen again. Semantics can wreak havoc.
- reb412 August 30, 2008 8:39PM
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Sweden Embraces Its Law & Children
UNICEF reports that after nearly 30 years since spanking was outlawed in Sweden (1979), more than 90% of the population desires continuing the ban on corporal punishment. This obviously includes the generation raised within it.
You can argue and tweak statistics on reported child abuse, but if the ban was ineffective or having a negative impact on society, the citizens living with the law would not overwhelmingly approve of it.
- matwang August 7, 2008 8:42AM
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Swede article
Good article on this.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/233338/the_effects_of_the_no_spanking_law.html?page=3&cat=37
- reb412 August 30, 2008 8:41PM
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Well Said, John
Sometimes kids really need a good spanking . I was spanked as I kid and niether my dad or I hold and grudges or regrets about it. When a child misbehaves in a serious manner, they need to be reminded that that behavior is unacceptable. I sometimes see kids today in places like church acting the same way I acted at that age. The only difference is that they get asked nicely to be quiet. I got the palm of my dad's hand across my rear end!!! Love your kids, but don't spoil them.
- HUNTER
March 3, 2009 5:13PM
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