Spanking... a two sided argument

[Galloism]

"I am very much against spanking and corporal punishment in general."

This followed a snarky comparison to archaic methods of dealing with prisoners.

What you did not say at any time before this exact moment is "[corporal punishment] may work for some."

I stated my opinion, a bit of sarcasm, and that single inputs do not necessarily lead to single outputs.

What are you asking of me?

We demand you declare spanking as the most morally upright action in the world, or the choice of dictators and despots the world over, then twist all data on the subject to suit your ideology.

[The Tectonic Plates]

I think Corporal Punishment should be tried, if other less severe forms fail.

[Norcroft]

im against spanking. if we use fear n pain to discipline children then we create a society motivated by the threat of fear n pain.
i dont have the answer but there has to b a better way than a grown man or woman hitting a small child.
imagine if sum adult started smacking YOUR kid around. if its not ok for them then its no different for u. Being a parent doesnt entitle u to hurting a child physically, emotionally etc imho.

[Cashewbutter]

Spanking has some useful applications. It can be used to train small children out of dangerous activities. A two-year-old trying to touch a stove is better served with a swat on the behind than "Now, Timmy, that can hurt you, don't touch the burner" which is probably going to lead to getting his hand burned.

It's easy to overuse or misuse spanking. Children can be punished for bad behavior without resorting to physical pain and much of the problem with today's youth (god, that makes me feel old) is lack of consistent punishment for deliberate misbehavior, not lack of spanking on its own. But if the child is too young to reason, and his/her behavior poses a serious risk of harm, spankings can be a very efficient way to get him/her to associate that behavior with unpleasant consequences and to deter that behavior.

I had one parent who occasionally spanked us in special situations, and one physically abusive parent. There is a huge difference. The only thing spankings and physical abuse have in common is that they involve inflicting pain. They're otherwise extremely dissimilar.

[Sheltopolis]

A little spank can't hurt. And I did get spanked a few times, it hurt, perhaps I deserved it, but my father who spanked me is not in the least bit a child abuser. I learned from my mistakes as kids should learn from theirs. So ya, I support spanking children as long as it doesn't go so far as to make your rear end bleed.

[Des-Bal]

I stated my opinion, a bit of sarcasm, and that single inputs do not necessarily lead to single outputs.

What are you asking of me?

You stated you were against spanking when what you apparently believe is that spanking is not necessarily beneficial. It's hard to get less clear than that, when someone says "I am against the death penalty" they don't generally mean "The death penalty is effective and appropriate in some circumstances." I'm asking you to be clearer.

[Mike the Progressive]

What I mean is that people who thinks spanking is bad are wrong. It can be beneficial and it doesn't necessarily harm the child. But it can easily become a form of abuse, a way for the parent(s) to relieve stress, even if that's not their intent.

Absolutely, I didn't misunderstand you I was trying to back you up. Nobody should ever mix up sadism and parenting.

Ah, my mistake. I'm a bit tired

[New haven america]

It is abuse, I can voutch for that(98% of the time, It was not justifed for the things I did). Also the hand of God isn't real(I believe in God), It's just a made up excuse that's out of date, find a new one.

[Des-Bal]

Spanking between the ages of 3 and 8 is okay as long as it's fair punishment and not a parent venting his/her anger. If you need to spank your child anytime after that, then you've failed to adequately parent your child and you have no one to blame for his/her unruliness but yourself.

Also, wow. Yahoo Answers vs. a blog. If you don't have an actual source, then just don't bother posting one rather than taking up a bunch of space with bullshit.

Yeah, why would we an internet discussion forum care about differing viewpoints.

[Des-Bal]

im against spanking. if we use fear n pain to discipline children then we create a society motivated by the threat of fear n pain.
i dont have the answer but there has to b a better way than a grown man or woman hitting a small child.
imagine if sum adult started smacking YOUR kid around. if its not ok for them then its no different for u. Being a parent doesnt entitle u to hurting a child physically, emotionally etc imho.

Imagine if a stranger walked up and started washing YOUR child. End child bathing forever!

[Insane Kidney Mentality]

I stated my opinion, a bit of sarcasm, and that single inputs do not necessarily lead to single outputs.

What are you asking of me?

You stated you were against spanking when what you apparently believe is that spanking is not necessarily beneficial. It's hard to get less clear than that, when someone says "I am against the death penalty" they don't generally mean "The death penalty is effective and appropriate in some circumstances." I'm asking you to be clearer.

I'll try to have some more clarity in my future posts.

I stated my opinion, a bit of sarcasm, and that single inputs do not necessarily lead to single outputs.

What are you asking of me?

We demand you declare spanking as the most morally upright action in the world, or the choice of dictators and despots the world over, then twist all data on the subject to suit your ideology.

It's the most morally upright action of dictators and despots in the world over, with various amounts of religious scientific anecdotal evidence to support my claims.

Happy, now?

[Quelesh]

I'm opposed to violence. The victim's youth does not justify violence against them. I think that violence against children is acceptable under the exact same circumstances in which violence against adults is acceptable - no more and no less.

It's based in an awful mentality and creates a climate of distrust.

I agree with this. Hitting children sends a message that it's acceptable to use violence against people to make them do what you want them to do. Spanking says "I'm bigger than you and I'll hurt you if you don't do what I say." That's certainly not the kind of society I want to live in.

[Zweite Alaje]

I support spanking. I was spanked and so were both of my younger siblings, we all turned out perfectly fine.

[The Orson Empire]

I support spanking. I was spanked and so were both of my younger siblings, we all turned out perfectly fine.

Finally, someone who supports actual discipline.

[New Octopucta]

Yeah, why would we an internet discussion forum care about differing viewpoints.

I guess you're right. It's too bad we aren't somewhere we can discuss how we feel about a topic and see differing viewpoints.

[Zweite Alaje]

It's based in an awful mentality and creates a climate of distrust.

What's to distrust? If the child misbehaves they get punishment, no trust issue to be had.

[New haven america]

I support spanking. I was spanked and so were both of my younger siblings, we all turned out perfectly fine.

Finally, someone who supports actual discipline.

Well, it's abuse.

[Reichsland]

It really depends on the child. My dad whipped my behind when I did something wrong, and my mom used a switch on me, as a result I learned to behave properly rather quickly. However my little brother has some mild mental disorders and he doesn't really feel pain so spanking would do him no good. My parents use other forms of discipline such as grounding him. Spanking is not wrong in itself, so as long as you practice self-control. It becomes wrong when you start spanking your kids over every little thing, no matter how minor.

[New haven america]

It's based in an awful mentality and creates a climate of distrust.

What's to distrust? If the child misbehaves they get punishment, no trust issue to be had.

Well you don't have to fucking hit them unless they've done something really bad.

[Des-Bal]

I'm opposed to violence. The victim's youth does not justify violence against them. I think that violence against children is acceptable under the exact same circumstances in which violence against adults is acceptable - no more and no less.

Children are not adults. Children do not understand things in the way that adults do, they don't appreciate the long term harm of their actions on themselves others or society as a whole. What they can understand is "do what I say because I said it." Give them the carrot and the stick until their old enough to understand more mature motivations. If that requires spanking, then spank them if it doesn't then that's great.

[Zweite Alaje]

Finally, someone who supports actual discipline.

Well, it's abuse.

No, it isn't. It is discipline.

Bashing his head with a bat is abuse, burning him with a cigarette is abuse. Swatting him on the ass or hand isn't.

[New haven america]

I'm opposed to violence. The victim's youth does not justify violence against them. I think that violence against children is acceptable under the exact same circumstances in which violence against adults is acceptable - no more and no less.

Children are not adults. Children do not understand things in the way that adults do, they don't appreciate the long term harm of their actions on themselves others or society as a whole. What they can understand is "do what I say because I said it." Give them the carrot and the stick until their old enough to understand more mature motivations. If that requires spanking, then spank them if it doesn't then that's great.

Yet children are humans

[New haven america]

Well, it's abuse.

No, it isn't. It is discipline.

Bashing his head with a bat is abuse, burning him with a cigarette is abuse. Swatting him on the ass or hand isn't.

I can vouch, yes it is.

[Zweite Alaje]

What's to distrust? If the child misbehaves they get punishment, no trust issue to be had.

Well you don't have to fucking hit them unless they've done something really bad.

I agree.

[Zweite Alaje]

No, it isn't. It is discipline.

Bashing his head with a bat is abuse, burning him with a cigarette is abuse. Swatting him on the ass or hand isn't.

I can vouch, yes it is.

It depends, I suppose. One can go overboard.

What was used on you?