Should Spanking Your Children Be Illegal?

[Mister_T]

Massachusetts lawmakers think so..... ABC News: Should Spanking Your Child Be Illegal?


I personally find this to be ridiculous. What do you think?

 

[Smoke]

Should spanking your wife (against her will) be illegal?
Is caning an appropriate punishment for minor crimes?

If corporal punishment is good for kids, why not for adults?

Note that I'm sidestepping the question. I was spanked, and spanked regularly, as a child, and I don't think it did me any harm. But I don't think it did me any particular good, either.

Do you think it's important to spank kids?

 

[Mister_T]

Do you think it's important to spank kids?

No, not at all.

But I don't it's so heinous that it should be outlawed. It's a perfectly acceptable form of discipline I think.

 

[methylatedghosts]

I would prefer to see absolutely no spanking. I think there are better ways to instigate discipline. To outlaw I wouldn't know about that. The biggest problem is policing it. And kids getting back at their parents after getting spanked. But no, I don't think it's acceptable at all.

A question to those who would spank their children:

Your child hits another child at play. To discipline would you hit the child and say "don't hit"?

You see the hypocrisy in that? That's my biggest problem. That a parent says hitting isn't allowed and yet spanks the child when in the childs mind spanking = hitting. And to my mind there really isn't much difference either.

 

[gnomon]

Massachusetts lawmakers think so..... ABC News: Should Spanking Your Child Be Illegal?


I personally find this to be ridiculous. What do you think?

I agree.

 

[methylatedghosts]

I just thought I'd additionally say that I wouldn't be up for outlawing it because that's not going to get anybody anywhere.

What will truly eliminate spanking is teaching people how to deal with anger and frustration and show people that there are other ways to discipline children.

 

[gnomon]

I just thought I'd additionally say that I wouldn't be up for outlawing it because that's not going to get anybody anywhere.

What will truly eliminate spanking is teaching people how to deal with anger and frustration and show people that there are other ways to discipline children.

I agree.





echo...

 

[withoutfaith]

There are already too many intrusive laws on the books as it is. Of course it shouldn't be outlawed, but it will be. I don't spank my kid, but that's not a moral choice. Spanking my kid just ****** him off, so what's the point. I have seen many children though, that could use a good spanking.

 

[sandandfoam]

Massachusetts lawmakers think so..... ABC News: Should Spanking Your Child Be Illegal?


I personally find this to be ridiculous. What do you think?

I disagree. Spanking kids should be illegal. It shouldn't attract a heavy sentance or be strictly enforced but it should be illegal beacause to do so is to make a statement that in principle violence against children is wrong.

When does spanking become hitting? How hard are you entitled to strike with an open hand? Are you only entitled to spank your own children or can you strike someone elses? If you believe spanking to be an effective form of discipline why not allow teachers use it?
The evidence is against spanking being effective, negative reinforcement does not work, positive reinforcement does.
Lastly I would question for whose good slapping is done. I think that slapping has more to do with venting parental frustration than child welfare.

 

[Buttercup]

Spanking generally helps the spanker more than the spankee. Parents most often spank when they are visibly angry, it's more of a release for them than it is a deterrent for the kid. And, spanking can do long lasting psychological harm. There are much more efficient ways to discipline.

I'm not sure if I'd want it to be illegal but I'd consider the notion that's for sure.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

How would anyone know that kids are getting spanked anyway?

 

[Buttercup]

How would anyone know that kids are getting spanked anyway?

I wondered that too. We'd have little twerp kids turning their parents into the cops left and right.

 

[sandandfoam]

How would anyone know that kids are getting spanked anyway?

would you apply this to other laws?

 

[Mr. Peanut]

Hi!

They asked a politician who was in favor of this absurd law if he ever spanked his kids and he said that it was none of their damn business. Well, its none of the government's business then how we discipline our children.

Cheers!

 

[sandandfoam]

Hi!

They asked a politician who was in favor of this absurd law if he ever spanked his kids and he said that it was none of their damn business. Well, its none of the government's business then how we discipline our children.

Cheers!

Yes it is. If children are being mistreated in the name of 'discipline', or indeed for any other reason that is the governments business. Children are citizens with rights too.

 

[Ozzie]

No, not at all.

But I don't it's so heinous that it should be outlawed. It's a perfectly acceptable form of discipline I think.

So do a portion of the adult population. I hate the word "spanking". Sounds like diluted violence.

 

[Fluffy]

As a person who was hit as a child, I believe that it affected me negatively.

I don't know whether hitting children should be legal or illegal. I do know that it should never happen.

 

[sandandfoam]

I don't know whether hitting children should be legal or illegal. I do know that it should never happen.

Making it illegal is societies way of saying it should never happen.

 

[Mister_T]

Hi!

They asked a politician who was in favor of this absurd law if he ever spanked his kids and he said that it was none of their damn business. Well, its none of the government's business then how we discipline our children.

Cheers!

I'm going to have to agree with the peanut here.

 

[Fluffy]

Making it illegal is societies way of saying it should never happen.

I can't think of a way to make hitting children illegal in a way that would both sufficiently protect children and the rights of parents. For example, we cannot simply take the word of the child every time due to their immaturity and similarly we cannot take the word of the parent due to their interest in not getting arrested.

I think there are more productive ways of ensuring that hitting children never happens without making it illegal.

I'm going to have to agree with the peanut here.

The key question then is whether disciplining a child can harm that child. The next questions are who is responsible for ensuring children do not get harmed and who is responsible for ensuring that those who are responsible, respect their responsibilities.