Salty

iTrader: (14)

It really is a waste. How exactly is it enforced?

Maybe if you're at a Dunkin’ Donuts and a cop just so happens to see you spank your child. And even then the cop will have a conscience debate on whether or not intervention is appropriate despite the law. They have no other way of enforcing this.

Salty

iTrader: (14)

This is key. The debate on whether a fine line exists between a disciplinary spank and beating. Laws already exist against beating children. And even those laws aren't immediately enforceable unless a child just so happens to be taking a hot iron to the hand from daddy in the appliances section.

MVWRX

iTrader: (1)

My home town of Mountain View!

Is spanking beating? Hmm...I'll answer that after I try to raise a child...

VRT MBasile

iTrader: (17)

as an abused child, I think anyone that lays a painful hand on a child should go to jail. You are absolutely a horrible parent/person if you must resort to violence to get your child to "behave." And yes, spanking is violence, you cannot argue your way out of it

ipozestu

iTrader: (18)

I completely disagree. Spanking is not violence, discipline and abuse are different. You have to be able to see where this is going/been going to comprehend the argument.

VRT MBasile

iTrader: (17)

I'm afraid that peace of mind logic doesnt stand too well. spanking is a means of discipline through causing pain. If it didn't cause pain it wouldnt have any leverage against your child.

pain is violence. You are a horrible parent if you must resort to pain/violence. Its is also a well known fact that positive reinforcement is the best way to mold behavior. If spanking worked, you wouldn't have to do it repeatedly

Spanking and other "physical discipline" techniques do nothing except made the child afraid of the parent doing it.

ipozestu

iTrader: (18)

How do you teach a child what hot feels like if he/she never gets burned. It's like teaching a blind person what the color blue looks like. Can't be done. Now if you touch a stove and burn yourself, you likely will not do that again. If a child can associate wrong doing with a spank, will they do it again. I'm not say you should whack your kid at every given moment. I will tell you the only punishment I feared when I was a kid, was "your gonna get the [insert weapon here]. You couldn't phase me with a "no don't do that"

VRT MBasile

iTrader: (17)

In theory that should work. However, it doesn't. I'm telling you this from personal experience. Im not quoting a text book or anything. The only thing spanking did to me was make me fear my dad when I was a child. The only behavior it molds for most kids is teach them how to do what they want without getting caught. Would you rather have a kid that acts like a kid, is not afraid of you, and will have a healthy relationship with you when older, or would you rather have a kid that has been forced to act like a mature adult and be afraid that whatever they do, may result in pain, and in the future not want anything to do with their parents?

I honestly feel that causing pain to a child is a good way to mold behavior.

Salty

iTrader: (14)

I'm sorry you were abused. I was spanked once in a blue moon and will never spank my children. But to suggest one is a horrible parent because he or she spanks his or her child is insane. I would agree with you if a parent took spanking too far or used it whenever they thought disciplinary was necessary when other avenues existed. You and I both know this type... the parent that spanks his/her child to the point they're hysterical in a public place. Imagine what they do behind closed doors. This is wrong.

My parents spanked my hands and butt maybe a handful of times a year. I remembered never to do what I was in trouble for ever again. I turned out to be a good kid. Never did drugs, never snuck out at night, got straight As. I have had an extremely close relationship with my parents my entire life. They're great parents.

Maybe i'm confused? I would tend to agree with you more if you substituted "parent" with "parenting." Is this what you meant? If no, define spanking...

VRT MBasile

iTrader: (17)

I say they are a horrible parent because there are other ways of disciplining a child and molding behavior. Yet a parent that spank has gone to the seemingly easiest way. There are much better ways that also do not cause pain

Salty

iTrader: (14)

Okay, so you're saying their methods of parenting for that particular scenario are horrible, not necessarily the parent.

If you disagree with the above statement you’re false. I already proved through my experiences as a child that I consider my parents to be great parents despite them spanking me once in a blue moon. I would wager my relationship with my parents then and now is far stronger than most between parents and their children.

ipozestu

iTrader: (18)

I'm right there with Salty, I used to get my rear kicked all the time, I was not a good kid by any means. My grandmother had a hard wood polenta spoon, more like a paddle, she used to whack us with. My dad, the belt, hard wood dowel rods. My mom, hand, kitchen spoons, books, what ever was handy.
I am completely at peace with my family, I hold nothing against any of them. We talk maybe 3+ times a week. I recall saying to myself "I'm going to get into trouble for this" I knew what that meant. Call it ADD or what ever. IMO kids are pampered enough. If I had any idea how hard life really was, I'd have stayed home and taken a blister on the bum anyday.