Do you think the government should put restrictions on spanking children?

Question

So what next? We get fined or put in jail for spanking our children on the butt or hand? I don't think it's okay to slap your child in the face or use excessive force, but I think if the government steps into our personal lives and tells us how to raise our children, our nation will be in trouble.

What are your thoughts? And please no flaming or dumb comments or judgements of how I feel. I just want intellectual comments here. Thanks.

Answer 1

my view is In the bible its says dont spare the rod. meaning dont let your kids get away with wrong doings. I think theres a BOLD line between spanking and beating. and in assulting like punching.
I grew up to be a great kid and my parents spanked me when i did bad. and all my friends parents say im the best behaved child.and its not because im afraid its becus my mom and dad didnt just sit me down and say no bad girl.
i had a fear to do bad. which IS A VERY VERY VERY GOOD THING.
and i learned to respect authority

Answer 2

I agree that spanking your child on the bottom or popping their hand is okay as long as its not in excessive force or on the face when a child does wrong. I also believe the relationship with your children should have a greater balance of praise and love. The government should have no say on that. If the government wants to label someone a bad parent for disciplining their kids they should look into the rising crime rate and lack of responsibility kids take for their actions since "time out" became the politically correct form of disciplining kids. If the government wants to step in and take the right punishing your child now, then the government should come up with a more effective plan to rehabilitate criminals in our over crowed jails and prisons.
I also believe parents should stop making excuses or blaming others for their kids actions in school or whatever.

Answer 3

Absolutely not. We had an episode with the police when our daughter was 16 that was frightening. While she was talking on the phone to a friend she smarted off really hateful to her father. He grabbed her by the arm and she dropped the phone. The friend's mother worked for CPS and called the police. Once the police were involved there were specific procedures required. The situation even scared our daughter thinking her father was going to jail. She told the policeman that she acted really ugly and deserved it and promised never to do it again - which the policeman nicely explained to her that it was honorable for her to say that, but unfortunately her words after-the-fact could not change what he had to do. He had to talk to each family member privately. The long night finally ended w/no one going to jail but all exhausted, upset and embarrassed. I never 'thanked' the friend's mother because I knew she did not believe in any form of physical discipline or punishment. This was the only time we had a problem with this daughter. When she was young just giving her 'the look' was enough to bring her to tears. She was the easiest of our 3 children.
It depends on the child which form of dicipline is needed. I found diciplining children very difficult. I prefer the talking route, but it doesn't always work. We have 2 girls and a boy. Our son is the oldest and I'm surprised we wanted anymore children after him. We all joke about it now (he's 31) saying that we used to have to keep a 2x4 in the corner just in case we needed it (Of course a 2x4 was not used - we spanked with our hands on the bottom). He laughs now too and spanking did not damage him - it propbably saved him from juvenile deliquency. He turned out to be a wonderful, well-balanced and successful engineer so I know it was worth the tugg-of-war all those yrs. He bullied his sister, had a bad temper, argumentive, bossy to me and stubborn. Seemed like we had to end up arguing w/him about the simplest things - he just didn't want anyone telling him what or how to do something from the time he was 2 yrs old and the terrible two's never ended! Before we could talk any sense to him we first had to get his attention - hence the spanking. Fortunately my husband was a wonderful dad with a firm voice and a strong hand. He was always kind, but strict - he didn't put up with any nonsense. Our son knew this because he always behaved better when Dad was around. I tried the talking route first, almost begging at times and it just didn't work for the boy.
Our youngest daughter, now 15, is like the son in that we have to physically get her attention before she'll listen. She is 12 years younger than the other daughter so its like she's an only child now. She's a little on the spoiled side and can really stretch our patienence when she wants her way. Life would be so much more enjoyable if she behaved like her sister. I can still give 'the look', but I'm too old now for too much drama/trauma; however as a parent it is my responsibility to do whatever it takes to ensure that this last child is properly prepared for adulthood and life out there in the real world. Raising children belongs to the parents NO ONE else. Someone does need to rescue abused children, but spanking is not abuse. (I define spanking as 1, 2, or 3 swats to the bottom or back of thighs using your hand, rolled up newspaper, paint stir-stick, flyswatter (if desperate) if the child is warned first and then still refuses to mind.

Answer 4

This is another way the government is trying to control our lives. We have got to get these moron politicians out of office. The problem with that is, that we will replace them with another loser that wants to pass another crazy bill. If you didn't know, there is a politician in California that is trying to get an anti-spanking bill passed. If you are caught doing it you can go to jail or get fined $1000. The laws need to be cracked down on hardcore criminals and get the criminal justice system,(which is a joke) back in order. There should not be restrictions on spanking children. Child abuse.... now that is another thing. Spanking has to be an option even if you don't ever have to use it. Kids have to fear their parents. timeouts don't always work, nor do taking things away or grounding. Spanking doesn't always work. Each child responds differently to discipline. You have to have options. Proper spanking as punishment is a good thing and it's not abuse if done with love.

Answer 5

I was actually afraid this was going to happen. I live in ultra-liberal Massachusetts. There was a bill pending to ban parental spanking. I joked I would have to cross state lines to discipline my kids.

Spanking has been used for centuries. It is only since the 1950's that it has been seriously question. I personally think the social no-spanking experiment has been a dismal failure and the studies finding it harmful are deeply flawed: http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-GgIFACYzfqWx8YwvtspSWVmWzA--?cq=1&p=793

But whether one is against it or for it--it is no business of the government. It is certainly not some wacko idea. It is certainly not abuse (real abuse should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law) The governement has no right sticking their nose in it.

Answer 6

Our government is involved too much in our personal lives already. So no, I do not think there should be any regulations or restrictions on spanking. I was spanked when I was a child, not often, just enough to keep me in line. I have grown up to be a very responsible woman, married to a wonderful, hard working man, and we have a wonderful 22 year old daughter who is excelling in college. And yes, she was spanked from time to time. A good swat on the fanny gets the childs attention and lets them know you mean business. Its when that spanking goes from one or two swats on the fanny to a full, all out beating that leaves welts, bruises and broken bones that spanking goes too far. No one should be allowed to beat their child and injure them. A spanking is just that, a swat on the fanny or hand to get the childs attention.

Answer 7

No, they have no business doing that. I agree that smacking a child on the face or excessive force should be punished. But, when needed a spank or two on the bottom is a good form of discipline. No one is going to tell me how to raise my child. I pray that this doesn't pass!!!

I was spanked as a child and I turned out fine! I am educated and a good mom to my two boys!

Answer 8

I think it is a parents right to discipline thier children however they see fit. I do think a government should step in if there are signs of actual abuse though since a child can not always stand up for themselves in those kids of situations - but not for a minor disciplinary spanking.

Answer 9

The question is, who's to set the standards? I'm assuming you're talking about the congresswoman in CA... why is 3 the magic number of an ok age to spank? Anyone with kids know that a 2-year-old knows darn well when he's being a brat. I think it's a ridiculous idea (which has been proposed before) that will never fly. Beating is unacceptable. Leaving marks is unacceptable. But spanking? Just because someone doesn't agree with a method of discipline doesn't mean it should be outlawed.

Answer 10

No!!!! if you believe they should i don't think you know how to raise a child, i was spanked till i was 16 and i am a successful lawyer, and if you slap them on the face you should not use excessive force but they should be punished.

Answer 11

The government is partially responsible for the crime wave and immorality and disrespectness griping this country. Because of their meddling, parents can no longer discipline their children like in days of old, when crime was only a fraction of what it is today.Immorality is running rampant, with this do what feels good garbage attitude in this country. Kids having kids, and a welfare system gone amok are only the tip of the iceberg , in reference to the problems either directlty caused, or exacerbated by government interference in every facet of a person's personal life.