Spanking: For or Against?

I'm against it mostly. My mother and her 9 siblings were all spanked and some of them turned out to be great people while others turned out to maybe need a few more spankings. I wasn't spanked and neither were my cousins, out of all 67 (yes huge family), the majority turned out to be great people and of course there were a few bad seeds. So in the end it seemed to be like not spanking worked out best. However I think there always needs to be another form of punishment in place of the spanking. For me, I used to throw major tantrums and my mom was totally against spanking so the doctor told her to throw me in a cold shower. She only had to do it once and I never had a tantrum again. I used to look after one of my younger cousins who had a temper like no other and despite spankings and punishments from her parents would not behave, I mean she was pretty bad. One day I'd had enough and put her in a cold shower, I think I only had to do it maybe twice and to this day she's still a good kid. I'm not saying every kid needs a cold shower but when nothing else works instead of spanking, try a little cool down shocking.

i am for spanking. I think depending on the situation a spanking is called for. yet don't get confussed. a spanking and a beating is not at all the same thing. I have never beat my children, but i have given them spankings. a spanking to me is a couple a swats on the booty, along with a time out. I have not used a belt or stick or any object. I have only ever spanked with love

I think it's ok sometimes. If the child is the kind of child who doesn't respond to other forms of discipline or in circumstances where the child puts themself in danger so you smack them to stop them before they hurt themself. I wouldn't say I am actually pro-spanking but I was smacked on occassion and I've turned out ok! My kids get smacks when they haven't listened to me. Sometimes that's the only thing to do. Personally, I would rather smack my children so they know they have done wrong, than have them grow up to continue to be brats because I've not done enough to discipline them. I know children who have excuses made for their behaviour where the fact is, if they had been smacked when they had done something wrong instead of talked at then they might have learnt their lesson. It hurts a child less to have a tap of the hand or the bottom to let them know they have done something wrong than it does to be shouted at all the time. One tap on the hand is usually more effective than 2 hours of shouting. They can ignore that. So, basically, yes, within reason, I think it's ok to smack a child if you fee it is appropriate

i'm really against it. people nowadays who spank their kids or ubuse them are results of their parents' actions. i think that if we hit our children in a really bad manner, they'll ennd up like those bad people. we can just use other methods of disciplining them. like we can confiscate their things if they don't conform to our rules, or giving them punishments.

we use spanking for really serious stuff. i mean there are limits to it. when i was a kid grounding was not a thought lol it was not spanking either it was a all out beat the kid lol. i mean we had a razor strap that was used , fly swatter, etc. my hubby made a paddle and showed it to the kids and we have not used it one time since he made it the thought scares them enough. we only spank them maybe once every 6 months to a year. we do the grounding, taking things, etc. but also my kids have to earn the right for tv, having friends over, money, etc they have to work for what they get. i dont just hand it to them so i have to admit they are no angels but they are alot better then alot of kids i see around. i dont think a parent should beat there kids but sometimes a kid really does need a slap across the but. i have seen so many that do what they want and will tell you what are they going to do ground me to my room with sterio, playstation, etc. kdis know parents are scared to do things to cause people say i will call on you or if your dad spanks ou tell me and i will make him stop. parents have there hands tied on so many levels they think when they dont. a spank across the butt is not child abuse. also alot of parents jsut dont care either. i mean as long as the kid isnt in jail they can do whatever. parents are busy with there own lives. alot of times it is one parent and the kid is left at home alone and when the parent gets home they are tired so they just dont want to deal with it. its sad really

I'm for it as a last resort for my kids. If everything else I've tried failed or they did something so terribly bad that an immediate punishment is needed to show the seriousness of their actions then I will give them a swat on the butt. I never hit them hard enough to leave a hand print or mark only enough to make contact. I am totally against hitting out of anger or hitting hard enough to leave a mark on the child. I cannot agree with people who say to never spank a child out of discipline because not all people are the same. Just because your kid responds to a certain type of discipline (time-out, nose to wall, sit in the corner, etc.) doesn't mean all kids will respond the same way. I do believe it should be a last resort and used very rarely.

I am against for it. It is not the solution and there others effective way to discipline the children. Every children have a unique behavior and a unique attitude toward other. Spanking is not the answer, instead we need to show them the beauty of love and respect, so that she or he know what is a good sign of a good behavior. Beside that we need to show them what we are, if we show that we have a bad attitude, that is an example for them. Having a good parent is having a good children. We are the model of our children and we must show to them.

I read in a parenting magazine a few years back that the opinions of parents vary greatly. But usually parents of only one child were against it way more than parents of two or more childern. I can kinda understand that though. I never hit my daughter ever. However I came a little closer to doing it with my middle child. He would always put his hands on the burners on the stove. He is special needs and doesn't have normal pain sensors so he wouldn't feel the burns like you or me would. It would take a lot of effort to get him to focus on my face and listen to me. I would hold his hand and snap my fingers to my eyes for him to notice my unhappy face. I felt like he needed to be aware that it was a nono. Spanking should never be done in anger. I wanted to spank when he was young and not understanding my words. But now that he can I don't feel the need to physically get his attention. I would send my middle child to his room for a time out to calm down and think about what he did. But also it gave me a break to calm down before I do something because I was overwelmed. I never spanked my third child either. I think it is better to talk things out and explain why the behavior/action was wrong when they are old enough to understand what you are saying.

I've already shared my opinion on this subject. Smacking, spanking, hitting or what ever you want to call it, is WRONG. Why don't you ask your child if they'd prefer to be smacked or prefer that you explain why something is wrong, take a toy away, or time out, ect. I know i'd rather learn from words, not physical pain.

Well, I believe in not spanking a child though my husband thinks once in a while a good spank is required. Children are every smart and sensitive. And yes, stubborn too. But violence has never helped. For one, my heart would break if I had to hit my little one or any other little one for that matter. And believe me, children understand the language of love far better than any other. You try explaining to the child what is right and wrong, rationalize, make him/her see reason, talk it over with the child, and trust me the child will understand. It might be difficult initially but you have to persist in your endeavours. The problem is that we adults give up easily, we have hundred excuses like I don't have the time to go on, or I don't have the patience etc. But whoever said bringing up a child is easy? It all depends on how much effort you put in, how much time you spend in explaining to your child. Spanking or hitting or punishing never helps.

People don't seem to know the idfference between abuse and discipline. Neither do they seem to know the difference between spanking and physical injury. Perhaps everyone should take a few days' trip off to a place where there is no TV nor human greed and hunger for power. Then they would know what to do. Spanking is not bad if its purpose is clear and the message gets through. It is another thing when it turns into abuse. But watch out - parental lenience may backfire in children playing mind games and wrapping them around their finger. Lenience in disciplining them is, in my books, a form of abuse.