What's the difference between spanking and child abuse?

Question

I'm doing an assignment for my English class and I would like more information on this topic.

Answer 1

spanking is a corrective measure done when not angry and with a chat after wards about what happened and why and with reassurance of your love.

Child abuse is beating a child in anger because you are upset the kid is making you upset or want to vent anger and the kid can't fight back.

I correct my children by paddling them. I was abused as a child and still have the scars inside and outside to prove it.

Answer 2

The act of "spanking" your child is simply a small whack on the bottom (where it has more cushion and only stings a little, while other parts would actually hurt more) for disciplinary reasons only. Whereas abuse is the intentional hurting of a child for whatever reason they may do it. To be honest, I do not know the reason people abuse their children. I could never even imagine doing anything to intentionally hurt or harm a child. My children, even at their worst (which has been fairly bad at times), have not deserved abuse. I believe it's only the children that are under disciplined or abused that act badly enough to be hit in any way, and even that's not their fault their parents were not very good.

Answer 3

The difference between spanking and child abuse is the amount of force and consistency of the punishment. For instance a good parent would use spanking as a punishment for a severe offense, and after the spanking there are no bruises left. Where as child abuse is beating a child for anything and with foreign objects (things other than your hand)

Answer 4

Spanking is the last resort of a desperate parent.Child abuse goes beyond spanking,and is done for everything that the abuser cannot control,more often than not,abusive spanking involves some form of delivery other than the hand.Spanking becomes abuse if it is done excessively,involves a tool(belt,hairbrush,cord,etc.),or is done to an area other than the bottom,or on the hand.
Spanking is done as a light rebuke,usually for the child's own good i.e. my child is playing in the street,a light spanking may be applied to correct this behavior,not so much to hurt the child but to remind them to play more carefully and be aware of their surroundings.

Answer 5

Some would say they are the same.

For most people though spanking is a way to tell the kid their behavior was not okay and they should change it. Very often it also helps the parent to get rid of the frustration the acts created.

There are other ways, really and spanking is not necessary, but it depends largely on the parents' temperament.

Kids grow up great with and without spanking, and they go to hell the same way.

being a good parent has little to do with whether or not you spank your kids, it counts in different areas.

Answer 6

BIG difference..spanking should not leave marks like child abuse does. Abuse is when a child is physically and emotionly harmed. I think spanking is just as bad. Why do you need to put that type of fear and pain on the child. I personally just raise my voice. Coming from me can whip the kids into shape real fast.

Answer 7

Spanking is about 1-3 controlled swats on the bottom and should never leave bruises or welts. Beating is when you just hit a kid over and over again, usually out of rage, not with an intent to discipline them. And usually it will leave some kind of lasting marks which can get a parent in trouble with Child Protective Services.

Answer 8

i would say spanking is a "tool" used by parents in an attempt to discipline a naughty child. the child should be old enough to understand that a spank = something wrong (i know someone who was spanked for crying, when she was a tiny baby in diapers, and the dad was just horrible. he spanked her til she got bloody nose. that is abuse). the baby is not old enough to understand what is wrong, and crying is not something that is "wrong" in the first place.

child abuse is hitting, or verbally abusing, a child for either no reason, or intense, over-the-top discipline. even if the child did something "wrong", to hit w/ inappropriate force or screaming and verbally abusing the child is wrong. i think the importance is for the kid to understand that they are doing something wrong... abuse is the parent's way of controlling their kid or treating them like a non-human, not disciplining.

Answer 9

Spanking is a way to discipline a child, and child abuse is just hurting a child for no reason.

Answer 10

A good swat on the butt never hurt anyone to repremand in a loving, not angry way, but if the child is constantly being thrown about, hit with a weapon - such as a belt or wooden spoon, that is abuse. Remember to being constantly berated is also child abuse, not allowing the child to eat healthful foods, dress in clean clothes, these are also abuse.