Do you want your government telling you that you cannot spank your own children?

Question

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.

http://www.channel4000.com/family/10793180/detail.html?rss=msp&psp=nationalnews

Answer 1

The act of spanking notwithstanding I am against any laws that impose government restrictions on civil liberties. The government should be encouraging more parents to take responsibility for raising their children, not making it more difficult to do so.

But before people go off on the civil liberties of the child, the law as proposed forbids striking a child, including a slap on the hand. Children 3 and younger are the ones who would most benefit from a smack to tell them right from wrong. After 4 a child is old enough to understand and that is when hitting should be discouraged.

Beating children is already against the law, regardless of age. Lieber said her law is to prohibit parents from "whipping 18 month olds" (sic). there are laws already in place to protect children, this law does not do anything to help children.

The government needs to step out of the business of controlling the lives of their citizens and remember the fundamental reasons the government was established.

Answer 2

NO! I'd like to take a poll and ask how many people were corporally punished, and did it help them, hurt them, or have no effect.

Hey, if spanking is child abuse, then a whole bunch of abused children have grown up to be great adults, which really dilutes the child abuse issue.

Would they go so far as to ban a pop on the diaper, which is more sound than fury?

Is it better for a child to learn not to touch a stove by burning herself or by having her hand slapped a few times?

Lieber is wack.

Spanking can be done abusively, but hugging and kissing can be, too. This is being intruduced because a certain legislator can't tell the difference between a spanking and a beating. Let's hope the voters show a little more discernment!

Answer 3

I'm actually doing a research paper on this kind of topic. I think if other milder forms of discipline don't work, spanking can be an effective and acceptable form of discipline. Of course, I wouldn't advocate beating your child or anything fierce, but if a parent shows that he or she loves her child and makes sure the child knows why she was hit then then it's okay. Most people that think spanking should be illegal say that it causes behavioral problems in the child for the future. That's not really true because someone who has been spanked can turn out just fine just as someone who has never been spanked can have problems. It all depends on the maturity of the child and the other influences on the child whether or not to spank him or her at that age.

Answer 4

State of Georgia carry law at this time if child call 911 and claim parent has spank him/her they are haul off to jail and child is taken into protective custody. Now now sure if it's Federal Law or State Law because I live in the back woods of Georgia and this town is run by old money and can get away many things other larger cities can't..Positions are not voted in here they are handed down from District Attorney to Judge one of those towns every illegal activity is done by Local Politicians yet Sheriff Office turn head the other way

Answer 5

I think it's wrong that the government would do that. The parent should have the right to teach their kids consequencec for their actions. I'm against beating your child, but spanking to a certain extent is nothing more than showing your child what happens when they do something wrong. My dad used to spank me with a leather belt. I got 2 or 3 swats every time I did something against the rules. I didn't turn out bad. I have a college degree in engineering and leading a perfectly normal life. But on the other hand, there are a lot of people that lacked that type of discipline when they were children and a lot face prison time, or have been to jail, they are disrespectful to women and people in general when things don't go their way, and don't know from week to week what direction they are going to take in life. I've seen it myself with friends that I grew up with.

Answer 6

I do not condone spanking and was never as a child however parenting styles are different and what works for one child does not work for another. I have also investigated cases as a social worker where parents hit their children so hard they left bruises and welts on their children, just from their hands. This is a crime and it happens more often than not. Parents sometimes inflict a bruise when spanking and they do not hit hard, but children can be frail and trust me, do you want to lose you children and have them placed into foster care just for spanking, when you were justified? I do not believe it should be a law but then again we have to protect our children and some parents just don't.

Answer 7

Although normally I do not have the attitude that the government should stay out of my business, this is going too far. I was spanked as a child, and I am a normal, functioning adult member of society. The problem here is that people cannot distinguish between discipline and abuse. If a child acts out in an inappropriate fashion, spanking them (with their full knowledge of WHY they are being spanked) has been shown in psychological studies too be helpful, not harmful.

It would be much worse to slap a child on the head without warning or their knowledge of why they are being hit. I have seen parents smack their kids for being loud and rambunctious. Usually it is because the parent is frustrated and cranky. That is the WORST time to hit a child, because then they learn that they cannot trust their parents to not hit them. It is the equivalent to hitting a puppy. It will learn to fear you, not love and respect you.

Spanking is discipline, not abuse. There are more important laws we should be working on when thousands of people are dying from cigarettes (to use one example) and NONE are dying from spanking.

Answer 8

I got spanked as a child and turned out fine. There is a big difference in spanking a child because of disiplinary behavior than beating the living crap out of them. Time outs don't work it just gives them more stuff to think to do.
Grounding isn't always the best solution either. Ask them how they dispiline thier children.. wanna bet they spank?

Answer 9

I would probably have to agree with the under 3 part. BUT this is just a foothold. One there is legislation of this sort it will grow to include much more than the under 3 group. I dont like to spank my children and I completely agree it is not always the best way to discipline every child, but there are times when it's just what has to be done. Parenting isnt always fun but neither is any job.

Answer 10

I think the 3 year old cut off is fair. There may be some cases where it makes sense. My son was chewing through electrical power cords and I spanked early because he got all the way to the wire.

But there is a lot of stupid parents spanking and who knows what this does to the world.

I judge must have complete discretion over the actual penalty. Also, in California this law may lighten the punishment because many DA's will file charges of child abuse if there is a mark of any kind.