Child Abuse Vs. Parents right to dicipline their child.?

Question

Hi i am doing a reach paper on my question and i would like you honest openion on the topic. Should parents have the right to dicipline their child? how far can they go? and is dicipline your child child abuse?

Answer 1

I do spank mine , I have from age 1 , my children are now 14,12,10,& 8 I have always been able to take mine to restaraunts (nice ones) or to the store with out having to call them down once , I have always used a belt , my children (the older ones) have even thanked me for beating them (beating is how they refer to whipping)they thank me everytime they see these little devil kids out in public telling mom no ,and or hitting their parents while mom is counting "1,2,3 ok mister you are getting in trouble"
My oldest asked me "what would you have done to me if I hit you like that " I replied by telling him "you would be walking with a limp for ever"
I do not candone abuse such as bruising a childs body , now if my oldest who is almost 15 and bigger than me ever steps to me in a wrong manner trying to run over me in my house , he had better be ready to rock .. My children know they have a job that job is to do as they are told the first time , and do well in school ,
My job #1 is to provide the loving home , emotional,and financial support they need to have a good comfortable life I do mine so they have to do theirs there is no negotiating about it my #2 job is to correct them when they do not do their job if they do their job they do not have to worry about my #2 job... my children are always well behaved now , but if they ever ban spanking ,and I have another child , then the government official who has no kids that passed this law can take them and raise them ...
I am responsible for raising my children to become well mannered , productive and law abiding citizens , if I fail them they end up in jail with all the other "time out children"..I am solely responsible for the Adult they become
so should a parent have the right to spank , yes disipline is not a right it is a parents responsibility and duty I personally would love to have laws that punish parents when their child commits a crime...
How far should they go , spanking is ok , to the point of stripes across the butt , not whelps not bruises..No breaking bones or bruises on the body any where.....No denying them the basic need of life such as forbidding them to eat meals or use the restroom , or making them eat cold food as punishment that is just cruel , no locking them in their room or closet , instead of being down on parents who disapline they need to focus on having standards for people who wish to have children because no one has a "right to " have welfare babies for taxpayer to keep up , and have severe punishments for parents who has a child turned criminal because failing as a parent they should be made to pay for their childs prison time not taxpayers..it is not my fault they ignore their duty as a parent. I am reponsible for them until age 18 and I am responsible for the adult they become

Answer 2

Absolutely parents should have the right. Children need rules and boundaries and punishments for when they break the rules.

The "how far" issue is a very subjective issue though. In general I feel like spanking (appropriate spanking, open hand, not "beating") is not a big deal. I was spanked as a child, and my only memory is "i don't like being spanked, so i won't do anything bad".

That is the whole purpose of punishment, to take away something or leave an impression (not a physical one) that will make children remember, "if I do this, I will have a consequence". That being said, I think the main problem with spanking is that some parents do it when they are very angry and it can get out of hand. It is dangerous for a parent who is mad or who does not have enough self-control to spank a child, then it may go over the line of discipline/child abuse.

One of my favorite opinions on discipline is from Dr. Phil. He says that all you need to do to discipline is take away something of value. This can be a toy, time with their friends, etc. Anything that makes them think twice before they break rules. Bad behavior = consequence (every time).

That's my two cents.

Answer 3

Of course parents should have the right to displine their child. Children need boundaries and they need them to be enforced. Otherwise they will run wild. I was spanked a few times, I had my hair grabbed my grandmother. I was chased with a wooden spoon my other grandmother who is Italian. My father threatened to hit me with a belt. But I was never once hit with it. I am a very respectable person. I have a younger brother and sister know who are never hit at all, except by me. Well I spank them after I end up chasing them around the house for something they did. I know it's not the best idea, but when you are left with two children during the summer everyday you have to improvise. But they are not my children and I am constantly telling my parents they need discipline. I ask why they never do anything to them, my parents respond that they are older and know different now. But the children do not listen to anyone, they always talk back and they are always spoiled. They have no respect for authority whatsoever. I don't think children should be beaten with a belt. I don't think spanking is abuse. I don't even know if it's beneficial or not. But what I do know is doing nothing is not going to help children in the long run. And I think the government gets way too involved with people's lives. Unless the child is being really abused and I do think hitting them with a belt or punching them in the face abuse, then they should be left alone.

Answer 4

Discipline depends on the child. With some children, a look or a word will make them stop. With others, spanking will work. And with others, you can spank them until the cows come home, and it won't affect them. Spanking, for some children, is the only thing that will get their attention. All spanking should entail is a few swats to the bottom, nothing very hard. It also depends on the childs age. Even the Bible tells us to raise a young man by the rod, but it also tells us that a word can have more effect than the rod. There are too many variables to give a specific answer, but I hope this helps with your paper.

Answer 5

There is a huge difference between a light pat on the butt, and causing bruises and creating a violent atmosphere...
I believe in trying everything else possible first- from taking away valued possessions, to putting them in the corner or their room first. But I think there are times when either they continue a behavior they shouldn't, regardless of previous punishment or they are so out of line in what they did that just sending them to their room wouldn't let them comprehend the severity of what happened.

I know so many people say "violence begets violence" when it comes to children and spanking, and I don't believe it's the cure-all as far as discipline goes. But to say that it is ineffective is silly, since I know from my own experience that even the threat of getting spanked was enough to make me stop doing whatever it was that I shouldn't have been.

So do I feel that spanking a child is child abuse? No. Leaving bruises, cutting, or creating an environment where aggression is the constant instead of the exception- THAT is child abuse.
Good question!

Answer 6

This is just my opinion here.

I strongly agrees that parents could and should discipline their child, because their growing up process determine the kind of person they will be when they grows up, so it's a parent's responsibility to educate them and try to fix any "flaws" that they know in their child's attitude.

But how to discipline a child, different parents does it differently. As for me, I totally disagrees on any form of physical abuse or physically hurting a person in order to discipline a child. It's not so much on the physical pain, but rather the emotional fear they experience which in my opinion, may negative consequence on that child.

Furthermore, using physical pain and fear to restrain a child from wrongdoings may teach the child what to do and what not to do, but it absolutely does not educate them on why they are suppose to do so or not to do so. To me, its like a brute force method, where we tell them not to do something just because we say so, and they never learn the reason behind it. The consequence is that a chile will only refrain from a wrongdoing because he fears the physical pain he'll get if he did that. So, this will only lead to a child actually doing it when he grows up, when he no longer fears his parents, or him/her doing it secretly from his parents because he/she never learn the actual reason behind why his/her parents doesn't allow them to do that.

As for punishment, I think it can be done in other form if necessary like no television for a day, grounded for a week or something like that, without any physical hurting.

For me, educating a child is the most important thing. Of course a child may not understand or capable of comprehending everything at a very young age, but it can be done slowly, starting with simple stuff and educate them more and more as they grow up. This way, they will understands the reason behind all the do and don'ts and it will be something they carry with them forever and when they are no longer under their parents control, they'll know what to do and they don't need any punishment to remind them not to do something.

Of course its a very complicating thing, but I still feel that it's a better option than using physical force to diciplin a person for all the reason stated above.

Just my 2 cent.

Answer 7

My son was very difficult, and I admit he got a few spankings. I felt terrible after each one and I stopped. I refuse to hit my child again. There are better ways to help a child learn right from wrong without violence. As adults we forget they haven't learned what we already know. Patience and a long fuse are great parenting tools.

As far as the law, if a mark is left on the child, it is considered abuse, but it is still open to interpretation. If CPS wants your kid, even if you looked at them funny one day, the kid will be abused and in foster care faster than you can say "false accusation."

Answer 8

The way of it is everybody is different. Each child needs different tactics to teach and discipline them.
I would rather use corners or time outs than any physical means of discipline.
Usually time in the corner and a quiet discussion will suffice, but not always.
I have giving my four year old daughter four swats in all, and I have felt sick every time. Two times I felt she was in danger for her own life and two times for refusing to listen.
Even though I did the swats I still think that I could have done it differently.
I think a swat on the hand or rump is not out of the question, some view it as abuse, I don't.
A punch or kick backhand shaking etc etc i view as abuse.
Yelling berating is mental abuse and equally as wrong.
No disciplining your child is not abuse, everyone needs to learn about the world and needs to be disciplined one way or another, but like I said everyone is different.

Answer 9

I assume you're talking corporal punishment here, not a "time out". When they break the skin or raise a welt, like a butt wippin too hard or too long, then it's abuse. Likewise if you leave a bruise or in extreme cases break a bone, it's abuse. However an open hand or belt spanking is NOT abuse. Some kids need it, and our society today is paying the price for a generation raised on permissiveness and no discipline. It's why the prisons are so full.

Answer 10

Parents have EVERY right to discipline their child. As long as they don't leave bruises or break bones. And if you think about it, there is a huge difference. Sadly though, the government and other anti-spankers think they have the "right" to tell other parents how to raise their children, and not just stick to their own children. Most of them don't even have kids to begin with.

I say every parent has the right to do whatever to their kids. Whether it is time out, grounding, or spanking. There's just no reason to go and throw your opinions off on every other parent, just because you don't like something they are doing. I have seen parents actually tell other parents something like "If you hit your child, you don't think right." What does that mean? someone doesn't "think right" if they don't agree with them? Wow. That's just as bad as saying "My religion is right, and if you don't believe it, you can't think right. and you're just STUPID."

Alot of parents will even throw off that spanking will lead to kids fighting other kids and getting introuble all of the time. I'm one proof of that not being true. I have never (in my life) been in a fist fight with anyone. And I have never been so much as suspended from school. You say the problem with kids disrespecting their teachers, because they know darn well teachers can't spank them much anymore, doesn't have anything to do with spanking? You think that's just a coincidence? I think not. No one ever acted like that when everyone was spanked. Teachers didn't have all the problems they have now with students. And I've witnessed some huge crap with kids cussing the teachers out and actually saying "You can't tell me what the f*** to do! HAHA!"

You decide your own opinion.

Answer 11

We were talking about this in law class recently. I believe it is legal to spank your children, but not legal to leave marks (ie, bruises, cuts, scratches, etc). I think that parents shuld have the right to discipline their children, but all the time. I was spanked as a child, but I really only remember about 2 or 3 times in my whole life, it was never excessive. Now I am a mother, and I personally have never spanked my child. I don't think there is a need to. But maybe when she's older that'll be another story...lol I think child abuse is when you hurt a child's soul, like if the discipline becomes excessive, or humiliating. (and NEVER to hit a child in the face...THAT is abuse)