Massachusetts could become the first state to make it illegal for parents to spank their children. Today, at the Massachusetts State House, the hearing for a bill to ban the practice was standing room only - From ABCNews.com

I personally think spanking is child abuse, but I have a friend who insists that it is the best way to discipline his son. When he was a child he was beat quite severly by his mother but still insists on using this method of discipline.

EXCUSE ME!!!! 9/11 WAS NOT A DROP OF A HAT! I almost lost a loved one in that. He lost countless freinds and coworkers.

The results of this poll reflect the violence of your Ameriacan society. Just take a look at American TV and the fact that you rush to war at the drop of a hat.

:biggrin: That's an hilarious assessment of the poll. You are way off base here, but it was good for a laugh.

My sister chose not to spank or physically correct her children. She tried to "reason" with them even when they were 2 years old. In one ear and right out the other!!! The blank stares were priceless..... Needless to say, they felt like they got away with everything, and are the rudest, most impolite, unruly, misbehaved little hellions I've ever known. they have sour and surly dispositions. I've watched one of them HIT MY SISTER when they didn't approved of what she instructed them to do!! They interrupt her when she's on the phone, and when she doesn't drop the conversation and give them her full attention they've been known to hang up the phone. I cringe and grit my teeth, when all she says is" Now Melissa, you know that's not very nice. I know you can act better than that. What would be the proper thing to do? Should I put you in time out?" I just want to scream. Now that they are older, they are so rude no one wants to be around them. My feeling is that much of this could have been avoided with a good swat when they were little. In my opinion, my sister did them just as big an injustice without disciplining them as she would have if they had been emotionally abused. Their anti social behavior is NOT going to help them in life at all.

My initial thought on this is it wouldn't have made a difference if your sister had spanked or not. Her whole parenting philosophy appears to have lack of follow through. Spanking in and of itself isn't successful; it's the way in which a child is disciplined as a whole that affects the result.

My initial thought on this is it wouldn't have made a difference if your sister had spanked or not. Her whole parenting philosophy appears to have lack of follow through. Spanking in and of itself isn't successful; it's the way in which a child is disciplined as a whole that affects the result.

I disagree with you gadgetlady.

I see nothing wrong with a light tap on the bottom for an out of control, tantrum throwing 5 year old. I am NOT talking about hitting or beating. I agree that is abuse and is absolutely sick and wrong. Parents that do that need serious help and should be reported to the police.

I'm talking about constructive discipline and not letting your 4 year old run the show. You are correct when you say the problem with some parents these days is lack the follow through. I've seen children acting up, rather loudly in the grocery stores and the mothers don't lift a finger to take control of the situation.

I think parents today are too worried about hurting their childrens feelings and they concern themselves with being their childs friend instead of being a parent. Kids need and thrive on structure and discipline... I think parents today are concerned about not hurting feelings. It's just not right.

Again, that's just my opinion!

I disagree with you gadgetlady.

I see nothing wrong with a light tap on the bottom for an out of control, tantrum throwing 5 year old. I am NOT talking about hitting or beating. I agree that is abuse and is absolutely sick and wrong. Parents that do that need serious help and should be reported to the police.

I'm talking about constructive discipline and not letting your 4 year old run the show. You are correct when you say the problem with some parents these days is lack the follow through. I've seen children acting up, rather loudly in the grocery stores and the mothers don't lift a finger to take control of the situation.

I think parents today are too worried about hurting their childrens feelings and they concern themselves with being their childs friend instead of being a parent. Kids need and thrive on structure and discipline... I think parents today are concerned about not hurting feelings. It's just not right.

I think you and I agree more than you know. I have been a vocal proponent of spanking as a disciplinary method on this thread. I believe it can be very effective when used properly. What I was saying about this particular situation was that, from the sister's reported existing behavior, it was unlikely that she would have spanked in an effective way.

There's something wrong with big people who hit little people.

Spanking is not child abuse.Beating a child till he's black and blue is child abuse. I f you spank a child when he is young as a form of discipline, by the time he is a little older (around 6 or 7) you won't need to spank any more. The problem with some kids today is that they didn't get a spanking when they got unruly with their parents, and now there isn't any respect for adults anywhere. I'm 47 and raised 10 children, and spanked my children when they were disrespectful or when they lied or misbehaved. I never abused them. Discipline should be done in love. The Lord himself approves of this form of discipline (not abuse). It clearly states in the bible that parents need to discipline their kids in this way. If you have a problem with spanking as a form of discipline, then you have a problem with God's plan for parents. When Parents are afraid to spank for fear of being accused of child abuse, children grow up unruly. Just look at alot of the teens today, no respect, back talkers, disobedient, trouble in school and with the law.

Kids do not grow up to be unruly, disrespectful or truant because they haven't been physically spanked! And God would never want us to hit our children, no matter what we call it.

If corporal punishment is the only way a person knows to keep their children from growing up to be delinquents, they need to get into some serious parenting classes.

I spanked my son (very rarely) when he was a toddler. My current husband disapproves of spanking and we have not spanked our daughter. My son is now 15 and my daughter is 8. Both my children are well mannered and well behaved.

I no longer believe spanking is an effective form of discipline. Well behaved children are a result of 1. well behaved parent(s); 2. well ordered home; 3. stable environment; 4. positive and consistent routines/schedules.

I never said it was the ONLY way to discipline, but it is an effective way. And Yes, God does want us to spank our children if they need it. He also wants us to love them and teach them and admonish them. Maybe you haven't read God's words written in the bible, but he teaches us to discipline in this way. (and other ways as well)Parents have been spanking their children as a form of discipline since Adam and Eve's time. (and it worked) It has only been the last 30-40 years that Parents have been kept from spanking their kids for fear of the "what might people think" attitude. And look where that has gotten us. I am NOT an advocate for abusing children, lets get that straight. But I believe that if a child is swearing at me or spitting on someone, or being disrespectful, that child needs to be spanked.

I too do not believe that God would want us to spank. I believe that "spare the rod, spoil the child" is in reference to the rod to guide as in a sheperd uses a rod to guide, not hit. We are God's children/sheperd and therefore I believe this is what this phrase meant. I do not recall the Bible stating in any verse to strike a child.

Just because something has been done for a long time, does not mean it is the correct/right way.

I'm new to talking on lap band talk, but I've read alot of threads and just realized that you're the same person who feels it's o.k. to be a baby killer (the abortion issue) but don't dare give them a spanking after they're born to discipline them. WOW! And you think I need parenting classes?

To clarify: That last post was directed towards BJean.

Please go to the top of the page and review the Forum rules. I understand you are new to the forum, but we ask that you debate the issue, not attack one another personally. If you choose to disagree with one another one on one, then take it to PM and keep it out of the thread.

Cooperation will keep the thread up and running, and allow the exchange of opinions and ideas.

Thanks,

Kat

Well said, Kat!

To answer the question though, you are darned right that I am pro-choice and anti-spanking. I honestly believe that I value life more than most people. I believe that babies are far too important than to treat them like a commodity, passed from one parent to another. I am not anti-adoption, but I sure wouldn't encourage anyone to give their child up. I believe adoption can be a wonderful thing and I also believe that it can turn out quite badly. It should not be treated as a basis for a law that requires every woman to bear every child in each and every case without exception.

As for how it relates to spanking - it goes hand in hand as far as I'm concerned. The more informed and experienced I become in my life, the easier it is for me to understand these things.