Should the "No hitting/spanking of Children under 4" bill be passed?

Question

The new law would put parents in jail for up to a year if they discipline their children who are under four years old by striking them.

The person who introduced the bill, San Francisco Bay-area Democrat Assemblywoman Sally Lieber , has no children herself.

Is it the role of government to tell parents how to discipline their own children? Obvious physical abuse is not the issue, there are laws against that already in place.
Would a mere slap on the hand or backside warrant being charged with a misdemeanor and some jail time?

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2003533167_spank20.html

Answer 1

Only someone with no children could come up with this. It's an unfortunate fact that sometimes with little children it's necessary to swat their little backsides to get their attention and/or make your point. Abusing children is a crime and should be treated as such but spanking is not a crime, it's a sometimes necessary disciplinary tactic. It's admirable that this person seeks to protect children but she needs to address the real problem - abusive parents and caregivers - rather than good people who aren't doing anything wrong.

Answer 2

Hey, Tiberius, I wondered how long it would take someone to post that question here, I just saw it a couple hours ago on FoxNews.

Not only should the bill *not* be passed, the legislator who proposed it ought to be impeached. So many of today's problems in society occur just because parents *don't* spank, and their children grow up not realizing they are accountable for their actions.

There are enough laws on the books to prosecute parents who abuse children, and by abuse I mean beating the crap out of them, or using an implement other than a bare hand. If the Government spent as much of its resources on building new schools, new roads, teacher salaries and the things the government is supposed to do, and stayed out of our homes and bedrooms, we'd be a lot better off.

I was born in San Francisco and raised in the Bay Area for all but one of my first 21 years. California used to be a great place to live, great schools, good roads (I'm obviously dating myself to being almost 60), but it's been going down hill for the past 2-3 decades. When I left California for Texas in 1983, I was sure I would return there to live and retire. Visiting there regularly, I quickly realized leaving was the best thing I could have done for myself, and it's precisely for reasons like the above that I'm glad I did leave. After Texas and Virginia, and now retired to North Carolina where I doubt something so ridiculous will be proposed for at least another three decades (and by then I'll not be around anymore).

Great question! Peace out!

Answer 3

i am a single mother with 2 children and 1 of them is 21 months old. i don't know how many of you actually have children, but a 21 month old is not going to sit in time out and if you were to just put them in his/her crib for a couple of minutes isn't going to do anything. a tap on the hand or bottom is not going to hurt the child. what it will do is tell the child that he/she is not supposed to do what ever it is that they were doing. personally i don't think that the govt has any right to say how a child is disciplined by a parent, and just so everyone knows-there is a big difference between discipline and abuse.

Answer 4

4 might be a little high... if the ban was for more like under 2, then I'd support that because before about 2 they don't really know right from wrong or have the ability to understand why they're being smacked.

Answer 5

I'm a Democrat and I do not support this bill. I think that anyone who DOES NOT allow parents the right to discipline their children (even those under the age of four) should be thrown into jail...@ss first!

Answer 6

There is nothing wrong with slapping a kid's hand if they are getting into something they shouldn't and sometimes they need a smack on the butt!! If that law was enforced there would be a lot more unruly kids around!! I don't condone beating a child but a spanking every now and then when they need it is ok!

Answer 7

This Bill should absolutely not be passed. Keep government out of the lives of the american family. The sole purpose of government is for public safety. "We the people shall not depend on the government to lead us, but to back us as a people". "We shall not also depend on the government for personal protection or subsidies".

Answer 8

No it should not be passed! I hardly think that smacking my child on the hand is going to cause irreversible damage!

Answer 9

GOD SAYS TO SPANK, THE CONSTITUTION ISN'T THERE TO GIVE US RIGHTS BUT IT IS THERE TO PROTECT OUR RIGHTS FROM THE GOVENT. WHICH TRIES TO TAKE THEM AWAY, EACH PARENT HAS A GOD GIVEN DUTY TO DISCIPLINE ITS CHILD, WITH LOVE.

Answer 10

I don't think that it needs to pass. So what do she want you to do if your child is do something that they are not suppose to be doing?