Who are you ok with spanking your children?

[Emily~Anne]

*edit*

Spanking has been BANNED in the United States and you can be arrested for doing it.

That certainly is not the case here in Michigan. My husband was a supervising emergency dispatcher for 33 years. (retired last winter) He regularly dispatched police to allegations of child abuse. If it turned out to simply be that the child had been spanked, the police officer would often talk to the child and make sure the child knew that the parents were fully within their rights to spank.

I will say that yes, spanking can easily be abusive in my opinion, if not done in a loving concerned manner. If a parents cannot get their anger under control, then they should refrain from spanking the child at all. Spanking should only be one of many discipline tools.

[Guest LadyC]

spanking has not been banned. maybe in some individual states, at least that's what the rumour has been for years, but it's NOT illegal in texas or in nevada. and a search on google doesn't seem to pull up any other state where it currently is either, so i'm assuming that it is not illegal anywhere in the U.S.

[undone]

My answer would have been parents and school authorities. My kids don't do anything to warrant such punishment at school....yet.

My wife is a school teacher here in Texas. She has worked at schools with and without. Her current school does not have it. She can handle herself and the students in either case but if given the choice, she'd like to have paddling as a tool in her class management toolbox.

Out of her entire 2007-2008 class of 21, there are only 5-6 who have parents who seem to actually care and have disciplined kids. The rest are continually disruptive and take her time away from students who really want to learn and who do well. She uses every means available to her to positively influence and/or discipline these kids without paddling. Bottomline...they don't care...their parents don't care.

I could write a book.

[Axxman]

Spanking is NOT illegal in ANY State. I said it was "banned." Big difference. (Maybe even 'banned' is the wrong word)

As far as police showing up in regards to domestic abuse calls that turn out to be 'just spankings'...it is up to Officer discretion in most states. If an Officer deems that you have crossed the line (i.e. more than one or two open-handed swats on the buttocks area) you can be arrested. Trust me on this one, I have a few years under my belt in dealing with those parents. You'd have to be an absolute fool to strike your children under those circumstances.

If you physically strike a minor, for any reason, you'd better have a pretty good darn reason for it...legally.

[OneLight]

Proverbs 13:24

He who spares his rod hates his son,

But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

Proverbs 22:15

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.

Proverbs 23:13

Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.

Proverbs 23:14

You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from hell.

Got you attention? These are the Words of God. Do I enjoy spanking my child? No. But I trust that Gods wisdom is far greater then my own. I have five children and three grandchildren.

I voted parents and grandparents, as long as none are abusive.

In Christs Love,

OneLight

[mrs]

Spanking is NOT illegal in ANY State. I said it was "banned." Big difference. (Maybe even 'banned' is the wrong word)

As far as police showing up in regards to domestic abuse calls that turn out to be 'just spankings'...it is up to Officer discretion in most states. If an Officer deems that you have crossed the line (i.e. more than one or two open-handed swats on the buttocks area) you can be arrested. Trust me on this one, I have a few years under my belt in dealing with those parents. You'd have to be an absolute fool to strike your children under those circumstances.

If you physically strike a minor, for any reason, you'd better have a pretty good darn reason for it...legally.

Why do you insist on equating spanking with child abuse? Proverbs sure doesnt make that comparision. According to the Bible a parent is fully within their rights and are even told to spank a child - for the child's benefit! Spanking is not a parent in anger hitting a rebellious child; rather it is a parent punishing a child so they learn that sin is no small matter and to avoid it.

[OneLight]

Just a thought, but the scriptures, while timeless and divine, were written before we knew of the severe psychological damage that aggressive physical contact from authority figures could have.

Hmmmmm ... The Bible is the Word of God ..... Psychology is the study by man. Which to believe?

[KeilanS]

severe psychological damage that aggressive physical contact from authority figures could have.

Doc, you hit the nail on the head with this message. You have shown the difference between spanking a child and abusing them. When a child is spanked, the parent should be completely calm, first explaining what they did wrong and telling them that a spanking is the consequence. Then they should be careful to spank only enough to make it hurt, rather than just taking a swing.

A parent should NEVER spank their child while they are still angry. Spanking a child in anger is a terrible example and sends the message the violence is okay. There is also the possibility that the parent will lose their temper and forget their own strength.

Done properly, spanking does not lead to severe psychological damage. You can take my word for it, I was spanked when I misbehaved as a child and I am not seeing any signs of aggression or psychological disorders yet. In fact, I'm quite a calm person most of the time.

[OneLight]

Just a thought, but the scriptures, while timeless and divine, were written before we knew of the severe psychological damage that aggressive physical contact from authority figures could have.

Hmmmmm ... The Bible is the Word of God ..... Psychology is the study by man. Which to believe?

Are you saying physical abuse of children doesn't do anything to their psyche?

Nope. First, spanking is not physical abuse, it is hard punishment. Did you read my post that had scripture from Proverbs? If not, please do, then re-read my reply to your statement again.

OneLight

[Shad]

People keep talking about parents not being able to control their anger like they turn into the Incredible Hulk or something when having to spank their kids which I'd say in most cases isn't true. It is possible for a parent to spank their child to teach them a lesson without going crazy and dishing out a hour long beating and IMO those instances are very far and few in between.

Do you guys honestly believe there is no relation to kids being as disrespectful as they are today and paddling being banned from school?? Obviously back when it was allowed it was working and now that you do away with it we really have found out how many parents do a extremely poor job disciplining their kids but yet they don't want anybody else to do it either so let's just let the kids be as disrespectful as they want to because god forbid if we swatted them on the behind when they were young they would've turned out so much worse.

In todays time my dad would be serving life in prison without parole for some of the spankings we got when we were kids and all of them very much warranted.

"Withhold not correction from a child: for if thou strike him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and deliver his soul from hell." (Proverbs 23:13-14)

Edited November 16, 2007 by Shad