What right does the government have to tell me I can't swat my child on the butt to teach him a lesson?

Question

Sometimes when a child is small and you have to teach him when things are dangerous a swat on the butt is in need. How can the government tell me how to handle this?

Answer 1

Some states are trying to ban spanking altogether, but as of yet there is no law against it here in CA. I do believe that it is an effective disciplinary tool when used properly. You should never spank a child in anger. It should be used as a possible consequence for wrong choices and should be delivered by a calm parent who is willing to discuss with the child after ward the reason for the consequence and possible ways to avoid it in the future. "Spanking" is not against the law and the govt cannot take your child away for it.

Answer 2

Because spanking leads to abuse and the government has to protect children. It is the law. A swat on the butt isn't the only way to teach a child right from wrong. Do you think that is the only alternative? The government has every right to protect.


SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A California legislator introduced a bill Thursday that would make it illegal for parents to spank their young children.

Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View, authored the bill, which would make it a misdemeanor for parents to spank a child age 3 years or younger, television station KCRA reported.

The crime would carry a punishment of up to a year in jail or a $1,000 fine.


Lieber said the bill is long overdue.

This bill is absolutely not big mother government coming in to tell parents what to do," Lieber said. "But it is creating a line in the law that stands on the side of very young children. Children that are 3 years old or younger are really sitting ducks for physical punishment, and they're no match with the speed or size or force of an adult who's beating them."
I am so glad to see this bill being passed! Finally!

Answer 3

A swat on the butt is OK... a spanking is OK. Never swat your child in anger. The state has the right to protect the child anytime the state figures the child is in harms way. If you don't do this spanking in excessive amounts then you will not have any one saying anything to you. Spanking is right when used in the correct manner. It does show the child that limits need to be met. It is a form of punishment reserved for the correct time and situation. Being firm with the child and not letting the child have his or her way is also a way of discipline that works well. Time and patience is needed for this at all times. If you have had trouble with the state then you must have hit your child in public with is not a good thing to do as political correct busybodies will take offense to your actions, or you over stepped your swat on the behind and cause injury to your child. If that happened then the state will step in and punish you.

Answer 4

The government needs to shut up and mind their own business. You have every right to discipline your child within reason. If the child is acting a fool then you are the one that needs to tell them how to act properly. That's what is wrong with these little kids today. They don't have enough discipline in their lives. I see nothing wrong with spanking children to save their lives from future events.

Answer 5

Jenny,
It is just another sign of people ignoring what God or the Bible have to say about things. People being disobedient, and thinking that they know better or more than God does about everything. God said to use a rod, or as we call it, a switch. It will not seriously hurt them, but it WILL get their attention, and make them not want more, if used correctly, and on a regular basis. God said spare not for their crying. It will make good people out of them. People who say use time out, take things away, etc. are weak and soft. You can now see the results of that type of discipline. Kids talking back to their parents, even hitting them. The prisons are overcrowded, and more are being built at record numbers, and that is expected to increase. The people responsible for this will never say that they were wrong, and will keep on telling you to not spank your kids. You use that switch. It works. If your kids ever threaten you with telling someone at school, or calling DCF on you, tell them like we do - GO AHEAD! Tell whoever you want, then they will come take you away, and you will never see us again, because if you do that, you do not need to live here. Make the DCF the bad guys in their mind. Not one time have we had ours call. We love them, and we WILL correct them when they need corrected. And we have good kids. They go to church, they don't get into trouble, and they are respectful most of the time. When they aren't? They get corrected! God knew what He was talking about. It worked way back when, and it works today. Good day to you.

Answer 6

i don't know if it's a law but, i do know what you mean. you have all these people saying oh never hurt your child and all that bs. what they don't realize is that when their kids grow up they are going to be sneaking around doing drugs, and hanging out with the wrong crowd. they will think they are good kids because they're on the football team or whatever. but the truth is these kids are just as bad, if not worse than the one's that look like they come from the wrong side of the tracks. as a mother of 2 teenage girls, i know because i see it every day. these kids that have cars given to them, no curfew, no parental supervision because the parents trust them. they are the one's to watch out for. these are the parents that don't believe in swatting your kids. look at the tv shows supernanny, and nanny 911 they are all fairly well off families that have absolutely no control over their kids. that's how it is with many of the middle to upper class people these days. their kids are absolute MONSTERS with no responsibilities or consequences in life, and that's what's going to take care of us when we grow old.

Answer 7

Unfortunately even a "swat" is considered child abuse since so many cases of people not stopping are handled every day. It is also thought that spanking is an ineffectual means of disapline. There are more effective measures such as time out and removal of a favored item to stress the importance of the stament being made.

Answer 8

My parents knew a family who's kid stole something from a neighbor and the parents found out. The mother spanked the kids till they were crying (this doesn't take much) and another neighbor heard the crying. This neighbor worked for the child abuse program and had the kids taken away.

Lesson of the story: don't let anyone else hear.

PS. this happened in Oregon

Answer 9

I think the government is trying to make sure that people don't paddle their child'sass so hard that they look like Elton John after a night of partying. You're not into that, are you?

Answer 10

The government can't tell you not to spank your child. There is no law against disciplining your child.