Should parents spank their children?

Answer 1

Yes

Answer 2

Personally, I haven't found spanking to be that effective with my 3 year old. Timeouts and other disciplinary techniques seem to work much better with him. I'll concede that this may change as he gets older.

The one exception is when he ran away from me in a busy parking lot and nearly got hit by a car. He never saw the car and was too busy laughing to listen to me. I did give him a firm swat on the tail to get his attention and to make crystal clear that running out of my reach was NOT acceptable. The lesson needed to be learned immediately, and I didn't have time to let timeouts take effect.

However, I think most of the criticism of spanking is overblown. I was spanked by my mom and didn't grow up scared of my parents or afraid to explore my environment or prone to violence. I think the physical discipline has to reach a significant level before it starts to leave any kind of permanent emotional or developmental damage.

Answer 3

It depends on the parent and the child. Spanking never worked for my sister, but sending her to her room was devastating for her (social butterfly), but I LOVED going to my room but hated getting spanked so that was usually my punishment. With my son now, I only use spanking as a last resort, if he repeatedly does something wrong and he knows it or if he keeps trying to do something dangerous, ex: he kept trying to run in the street. But it is one swat and I tell him he will get a spanking, then I follow through, not just idle threats. I rarely have to spank him luckily, I use time outs for other things. Luckily he is a great kid that does not require much punishment.

By reading Diamonds response I don't think she has kids, I never "hit" out of anger. And he very rarely repeats the behaviour once he has been punished for it. There is a HUGE difference between beating the crap out of someone and giving the child a swat for misbehaving. I have seen verbally abused children whose parents never lay a hand on them physically, but the words they use tear the child to pieces. I have heard parents yell and scream at their kids at the park and the kids tune it out and the parents get more and more frustrated. I have yet to yell at my son, and anyone that would say I abuse has no clue what they are talking about.

Answer 4

It is a proven fact that spanking does not work. When it comes to spanking a child 5 minutes later they are fine and back to doing what they did wrong where with punishing them in the corner for 5 or 10 minutes is more effective because they know if they do what they did wrong again they know they are going to have to sit down again.

My cousins friend used spanking on her 3 year old because her moron mother told her to and she would just tap him on the diaper yet now he acts afraid of her, she said hitting her child was the worse thing she ever did.

I consider hitting a child no matter how light child abuse and I think whoever does it is a 100% coward, how pathetic do you have to be to hit a child who is defensless

Answer 5

Why should they?It only teaches fear.To love and to hit and cause pain is a contradiction. One can teach right from wrong without spanking-one can use consistent consequences and positive reinforcement. Have been in Therapeutic Foster care for many years and have had to rely on being creative to come up with effective consequences,giving unconditional love and doing my best to be a positive role model for spanking is not allowed-its a rule that one better not break for can have dire consequences for the foster parent.Children are quite capable of learning without fear and having pain inflicted upon them

Answer 6

I'm not "for" spanking. I'm not against spanking.

Parents know what is best for THEIR own kids--it's not up to other people to decide.

I personally have never spanked my kids but if I feel the need I will. I have not had to yet because I'm consistent with punishment. I would only spank as a last resort.

Answer 7

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER HIT A CHILD TO TEACH A LESSON. When we try to teach our children how to throw a ball or catch or play checkers or shoot a basket, we show them through our physical action. "This is how you catch Johny, this is how you throw Suzy".

What does hitting your child teach?

Your child reaches for a hot stove and touches a burner, you say no and hit them. This is not logical. Your 5 year old wants to run in the street after a ball and we chase after them say "no" and spank them. It is not logical.

Pickup the child and let him feel the heat from the flame and show them it's hot and say "hot, hot , hot, you'll get burned and hurt yourself if you touch."

Pick up your child and show them how fast cars go by and put an apple or something like a piece of fruit in the street and watch as car runs over it and say, "this could be you if you run in the street and a car hits you. you'll get smash and very hurt".

There is so much scientific evidence that shows the negative effects of spanking and hitting. As a child, these effects result in a lack of trust in a parent and as an adolescent that lack of trust turns to resentment and anger. As adults, those scars and lessons of violence as a solution, are carried subconsciously into your own family and the spanked turns in to the spanker.

Answer 8

Not really. BUT, parents SHOULD discipline their children and pay attention to what they are doing and steer them in the right direction.

Answer 9

No, because it doesn't accomplish anything except prove violence is an option. When parents spank, you can't always tell when its for correction or the parent's lack of ability to control their temper.

Answer 10

yes for discipline and when children dont obey their parents.