When did spanking a child become confused with beating a child?

Question

I see question after question from parents who are afraid to spank their children because they are afraid their children will tell and they will get in trouble. Do people not realize there is a huge difference between spanking a child and beating a child? Do people not know it is perfectly legal to spank your child, don't believe me call your local police department, hospital or school, they will tell you that you can spank your child. So my question is when did a spanking become confused with child abuse?

Answer 1

Heck if I know! I agree though and I'm not even a mother!

My grandmother would come after me with a switch to my legs and soap in my mouth and I wouldn't have had it any other way!

20 now and glad she did what she did!

Answer 2

I completely agree. Spanking became confused with child abuse when some random person came up and said "spanking hurts a child's feelings, aww! don't do it!" I have heard every single excuse as to not spank your kids imaginable.

* They will grow up and be bullies.
* They will end up in jail.
* They will be disrespectful.
* They will be a loner.
* They will be depressed.
* They will fear your every move.
* They will sneak and do things to "not get caught".
* They will hang themelves in the bathroom (commit suicide).

None of this is true. These are "studies" and the people who think this crap up has not met every person in the world who was spanked. Therfore, their "studies" are pointless. I have never done any of that. I don't fear my parents and I didn't sneak and do anything just so I wouldn't get caught and get a spanking. (The only thing that even comes close to my fear is I know that there are consequences for my actions. I know that when I do something wrong, my consequence isn't going to be standing in the corner for 2 minutes, or not having any sort of consequence at all. It's not a fear that comes to the point where I sit in the corner with my knees up to my chest whining 'it's happening again. make it stoooop!')

There is a huge difference between spanking and abuse. Spanking is discipline. Abuse is my what my sister's boyfriend's ex wife does to her three boys. Which is throws them into the wall, slams their hands in the car door (on purpoose), etc. That's abuse! Not a little swat on the bottom.

As far as people being scared to spank their children because they're afraid they'll go to jail.. That's ridiculous also. You're letting your children walk all over you. Your CHILDREN might as well be YOUR parent's because you're the child. I hate that the world is so scared of their children nowadays. Spanking is not illegal in most places. Unless you live in England or whatever. You can spank. Any random person you see in public who wants to call CPS on you for disciplining your child can dial until their fingers fall off and whine until they lose their voice. Unless you are leaving bruises on your child, there isn't a dang thing CPS (or the police) can do to you. There are police who applaud parents who spank their kids. My cousin called the police when he was little and told them his dad was about to beat him. The police came and the dad explained what was going to happen and the police just said "go ahead".

Don't be scared of your kids. Be a parent. Or keep your legs closed and don't have them.

It's not just spanking, don't get me wrong. Some parents have well behaved children by only giving them time outs or grounding them. Every child is different. I'm talking about the parents who don't do anything because "everything is child abuse other than 'talking to your child'" and they are afraid.

Answer 3

I think spanking became confused with child abuse a while back when that one kid took his parents to court for spanking him...and won...do you remember that? It has been so long that I cannot even remember the details. I seem to recall, though, that he was not being abused, he was spanked (there were no marks made on his body anywhere).

Once that whole thing got started, kids rights were elevated above parental rights....no spanking, no paddling in school, parents and teachers couldn't stand up to the kids anymore and were basically powerless.

If I had a child you threatened to take me to court for spanking him/her, I would come right back with "go ahead and I will relinquish my parental rights to you and send you to become a ward of the state with only the clothes you have on your back.". That would have put a stop to such frivolous lawsuits and society would be a better place than it is right now.

Answer 4

It changed when the schools took it upon themselves to stress that any type of punishment that used physical force of the hand was child abuse.Many children took this as a way to get out of the good old fashioned smack on the rear.That is why kids run all over you now,they have no respect for anyone.They say to you hit me and I'll tell my teacher.I just said go right ahead and if they give me any trouble I'll just pack your things and put on her door step and she can deal with you then.I even talked to the police and asked them if a spanking was child abuse they told me no,as long as it was on the behind with open hand.

Answer 5

Good for you.

People are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay toooooooooooo sensitive to this these days. Good god, I'm glad someone said it.

My 3 siblings and I were lightly spanked as young kids and when we got older, we had real creative punishments instead of spanking. We had a little of both.

The problem with parents who don't spank is that....it is perfectly fine...it's their choice, but most people are so NOT creative and have no clue as to how to punish without spanking that their children are rotten brats. That's why these days you see more and more children going crazy in public....atleast way more than i used to see.

Answer 6

Good question!
I was spanked as a child - and turned out fine!
I have also spanked my own child when needed.
I'd never do anything to hurt her, but spanking can do some good sometimes!

Answer 7

When parents started living marks on the child and they didnt realize that spanking could go too far. A swat has always been fine. A prolonged beating in anger has never been fine.

Answer 8

That's why so many kids are brats anymore, they know they can get away with anything.
I swatted my son in the store the other day- he was being a nightmare running around and being out of control. I grabbed him and swatted him once on the butt, open handed and not very hard. As soon as I did it I looked around, daring anyone to say anything. An older woman came up to me and said "good for you!"
I agree with her! I'm raising this kid- not anyone else! I'm not beating or abusing him. And the swatting made him stop- instantly.

Answer 9

It's ridiculous isn't it?? Some parents consider EVERYTHING abuse from spanking to yelling too much. People do not know how to draw the line between a simple stern swat on the bottom and a closed fist hit or drawing blood. It's sad people do not know how to determine the difference.

Answer 10

even though it is legal that does not make it the ideal way to discipline a child. I have seen first hand, "nice" parents who spank their children but do so sometimes while they are upset becuase the child is misbehaving (they don't allow enought time to pass for both parent and child cool off first) all too often when this happens the parent (subconsciously) takes out his/her frustrations through spanking - that is called hitting! (if you are spanking/hitting/swatting out of anger or frustration it is hitting.... if you do so when you are completely calm it may not be... but how many parents wait till the situation has blown over before they go in to spank.. not many!)
i definitely believe in disciplining children but spanking is hitting in my opinion. Children should not obey you out of fear of getting swatted by you but should obey because they respect you.