Spank Me!
Nothing irritates me more than unruly children in public. I don't mean children who are simply crying or throwing temper tantrums, but those who continue to behave as monsters while the parents sit by and do nothing, or attempt to discipline them in a non-authoritative manner. Saying phrases like "Oh, honey behave," "Don't do that," etc., when such words clearly have no corrective impact on the child's bad behavior. As a kid, I was spanked. Common for my generation, and I would assume most people my age received a whipping from their parents. In my household, it was always my father, and never with his hand. He would sit me down, explain why I was being disciplined, and then give me a few belt lashings. Nothing severe or overly painful, but I knew why I received the spanking and sometimes felt shame afterward for my behavior. Is it a bad thing to make children feel shame? I think not, but some are of the view that spanking creates adverse psychological impacts and creates damaged adults.
Now we have a new generation of kids who are being disciplined in a different way with "time-outs", prohibitions on i-Pad usage, etc. rather than a hand to the ass. Is it working? Hmm..well, I don't really think so. Upcoming generations are a new breed, where they have been praised and coddled in all facets of life since birth. In sporting events for the young in America, all kids receive trophies for merely participating. How does this encourage motivation or hard work?
Interestingly, 19 States still permit teachers and principals to spank students (Iowa, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Montana, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina). In 1980, 45 States allowed this version of corporal punishment, so there is a definite trend away from spanking. In some countries, like Sweden, there are laws banning parents from using corporal punishment, even in the privacy of their own home.
How do you discipline your child? Is it okay to spank?
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