SPANKING????
One of my friends posted this article on her g-chat message "don't hit your children: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/09/16/spanking.children.parenting/index.html." Now, my friend is adamantly opposed to spanking... and me...I have bounced back and forth.
Now here are some reasons (from my friend, some I struggle with, and from other reports) against spanking:
1. There are other ways to teach children what we want them to learn
2. Most times it is used out of frustration...and is not a proactive response to behavior
3. Don't want to teach your children that violence, in any form is OK
4. A lot of children who get hit a lot only respond to that
5. Fear vs. Respect: Children/people need to fear you to respect you...and spanking instills a sense of fear
6. Dads spanking their daughters and then turn around and say that no man should hit you...unless you are bad (?)
7. Many people lose their tempers and that's why they spank...which in turn may be on a thin line of beating a child...and where is the line of right and wrong.
8. Children not being able to take out their anger verbally or through discussion - hitting is the way to respond to disappointment, anger, etc.
9. What happens when the spanking doesn't work anymore - do you spank longer, harder, with objects...again, where is the line of abuse?
10. Southern roots of slavery... you are bad...you get whipped or physically dominated
11. Some even argue that girls that get "spanked" by men are more likely to internalize the pain and it causes confusion to be spanked and then told "I love you"
"Pros" for spanking:
1. What about those children that won't behave unless threatened by a spanking?
2. Do "time-outs" and punishments really work when dealing with out of hand children (but then again do spankings really work when dealing with out of hand children)?
3. Spanking is in the Bible
It's funny when doing research for spanking there aren't too many sources...so these three and possibly personal experience will have to serve as pro-spanking arguments. What do you think? Is Spanking wrong? necessary? what's your opinion?
Poll:
Yes, it's necessary...
8 (36%)
No, I refuse
2 (9%)
It was done to me and I am fine
10 (45%)
It was done to me and I will NEVER do it to my child
1 (4%)
Still thinking about it.
3 (13%)
