Spank or not to spank (not abusive spanking)?
By NappyRooted
@NappyRooted (18)
United States
August 25, 2010 9:35pm CST
Back in the day when the principal or teacher was allowed to spank, was there so much juvenile delinquency? During this era it was common for parents to spank their children as a form of discipline. Did it seem like children had more respect for their parents, elders, authority, and family back in those days? Of course a line should not be crossed; child abuse is unacceptable. Did spanking seemed to produce great results? Spank or not to spank, what's your opinion?
7 responses
@pastigger (612)
• United States
26 Aug 10
I do believe in spanking not as a first resort but if needed. I do think that past generations had much more respect for their parents. Kids now are the rule makers it seems. Spanking became taboo because certin people where being way to harsh with it but nothing took its place. You kids has to have freedom to do what they want or it will damage their ego, I do not agree with this we as parents need to set limits for our children and they need to follow the rules. My daughter is 3 and she does get spankings from time to time and with her that is what works. Time outs are a joke to her, she goes to the corner and does her time I tell her why and then she goes and does it again. Taking stuff away from her dosen't work as she could play with her own feet and be happy. She has a very big imagination. Now I will even tell her that if she does a certin thing again she will get a spanking and she knows that I mean it and that will usually stop it. She does get warnings before spankings and I don't have to do it very often but she has her days like all children. She pushes the limits. I have never left a mark on her and I do not hit her out of anger it is for a punshiment. She even know that somethings are a spankable offence but if it is the first time that day I can usually tell her not to do it again that this is her warning and it fixes the problem. Kids do not seem to respect adults anymore and that is really wrong. So my stand to spank if that is what works. With some children spanking is not effective either. I use it because other methods don't work and spanking does.
@xebazuel (51)
• United States
26 Aug 10
That's exactly how I was raised. I definitely agree with your method. The best thing is that as they get older, it is easier to just have things taken away instead of spanking, or have them do sentences. But at three years old (that's how old my nephew is) they shrug it off so easily that it's one big joke if you take something away.
@NappyRooted (18)
• United States
2 Sep 10
This is also how I was raised. I believe in spanking, but it should only be done occasionally. I believe that an explanation for the spanking should be given to the child, so that they understand what they did wrong, why it was wrong, and why they're being punished. Spanking should only be done by the parents. If a parent is spanking all the time, then they're spanking for the wrong reasons; at that point it is abusive---a NEGATIVE.
@kharlav (1669)
• Philippines
26 Aug 10
I think, spanking is good to discipline the child as long as it will not be too much and as long as an explanation will be provided after the spanking. Because discipline without explanation will be useless. Discipline is used to correct and let little children know right from wrong but they will never fully understand that the act is wrong if it will not be explained.
@TheCatLady (4691)
• Israel
30 Aug 10
If anyone ever spanked my kid, I'd call the police and have them charged and thrown in jail. There is no excuse for hitting a child. Ever. If a child is misbehaving the child needs a good talking to. Once they understand what they did was wrong and why it is wrong, they won't do it again. If they do you can give them a consequence that is related to the misdeed. It works.
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
27 Aug 10
I have been spanked by my parents many times when I was young. I dont know if it really helped me or if it did any difference in my life when they did that for disciplining me but there was a reason why they are doing that. Maybe I will understand more if i would have my own kids.
@spazz435 (322)
• United States
11 Sep 10
I, myself, do not believe any parent or teacher should use a form of hitting towards their child for discipline. I don't think that it teaches a young child to respect you, it teaches them to fear you. The parents may think that it's respect because the children don't get into as much trouble, but its more that the child is afraid to do anything that might make you hit them. I think that a calmer discipline works the most effective such as the time out chair. Spanking a child, even though it isn't seen as abuse, is a form of abuse. It's not right, and no parent should ever hit their child. There are many other ways to go of disciplining their child than to spank them and send them to their room for time out.. Happy MyLotting! :)
@Chubsko (51)
• Philippines
29 Aug 10
I think it's a matter of disciplining your kids. Spank them yes, but not abusive. then, explain to them why you spank them so that they will understand and not do it again.
@xebazuel (51)
• United States
26 Aug 10
I don't believe in having a teacher or so spank a child. That should rest solely with the parents. As far as to spank or not to spank that depends on the child and parent. For some it is effective but only in major circumstances. My brother, for instance, does not spank his children for the most part. There have been maybe three times where things have gotten completely out of control and he has spanked his son because of the issue and such.
I don't think it should be used as a main form of punishment. There's always sentences, time out, grounding, and thaking things away. Showing the children that there are consequences for their actions. And the main thing is being consistent with those punishments. Nowadays a lot of children get away with things and punishment isn't consistent.
And, not to blame televisionand such, but a lot of children's shows these days have a lot of scenes where the children are misbehaving. And they get away with it because it's supposed to be funny. My brother sometimes struggles to find a show for his kids that doesn't have children doing that. When he used to let them watch the other shows their behavior was atrocious, because that's all they saw.
I think another thing, as far as children not respecting their elders, lies in the fact that teachers have a harder time punishing students. There's only so much they can do, especially if the parents turn around and fight it because they don't think it's fair that another adult can punish their child when the kid is being disrespectful.
But all in all, back to the main topic, I think spanking can be used but only in certrain circumstances, such as when the child is being overly violent or sassing after having been scolded multiple times. It should not be a first resort.
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