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Spanking: Do you think spanking is an effective form of punishing a child?


90.38% Yes
7.69% No


Comment: Physical abuse has never been an accepted form of discipline! from Crestview by Karen

Comment: I think that spanking should go along with punishment. from Pensacola, Fl by Betty

Comment: Part of the problem in today's soceity is that parents do not effectivly discipline thier children. There is a place and a time to do it however. And common sense must be used when disciplining your child. from Gulf Breeze by Brandy

Comment: Yes, I do believe spanking is an effective punishment..ie, hand against the fatty part of the buttock. I also believe that after a certain age, spankings should stop and restrictions or some other punishment should be imposed. what a spanking/restriction does is catch the child's attention to learn no, you don't do this or no, you don't do that. this is only done after many times of talking to the child and you come to realise, hey, talking is getting through... from pensacola, FL by georgia

Comment: every child is different, with some children it doesn't help the child learn, other children can't learn any other way. Let us just keep our individual rights to do our best. from pensacola fl by not

Comment: It was for me and my brothers. As far as I know none of us have suffered any mental problems from the spankings. We deserved them and learn a lesson. from pensacola fla by charles

Comment: Spanking is simply a power play between highly unmatched players. "Discipline" is too often an excuse for lack of control and parenting skills, when it actually is only abuse. All research shows that children get through but not over abusive treatment. There are better alternatives to dealing with young personalities than beating them into submission. from Pensacola, Florida by Larry

Comment: I am a former Police Officer and a former neighbor of the Pina's. I have been friends with the Pina's for about 18 years. The Pina's are a great Family and would do anything to help anyone. They are truely a great role model as well as model citizens. They are great people to know and great friends to have. from Fort Walton Beach by Gary

Comment: I think it should only be used,where the child openly defies you.There are other things you can do,ie,time outs,take away a favorite toy,etc. from Milton,Fl. by Patti

Comment: I beleive that there is not enough people spanking their children. That is what is wrong with some kids today. There is a line between spanking and child abuse!!! from Daphne by Amy

Comment: I think a little "pop" on the butt cheek is okay. Today's sociaty NEEDS it. I think the grandmother went over board! from Milton by Tammy

Comment: Spanking, judiciously used, can be a very effective tool to "get the child's attention" when time outs, other punishments, do not work. Spanking must be a part of the parents tools of raising a respectful Child. from Pensacola, FL by James

Comment: yes i think it is because the bible says spare the rod spoil the child and i believe that if more poeple would have spanked or disaplined their kids in stead of letting the govement tell them how to raise their kids we would have lest killings, murders rapes , robbery they would know that all this stuff is wrong and not do it.but no a long time ago it was not abuse but now tell your child tehir gonna get a spanked and the cops and everyone wants ot get into in and your home. but yes i think that spanking a child is displine and does work. we live by the bible and if everyone would we would have kids running all over the place doing what they want to do .so yes spare the rod spoil the child is my way. from brewton, ala by nikki

Comment: There are times that a swift swat on the butt is what is needed to get through to a hard headed child. I was hard headed and spanked as a child and I did not suffer from being disciplined in that fashion. As a matter of fact I did not repeat the activity that resulted in my receiving the spanking! from Pensacola by AnnMarie

Comment: everything in moderation. the child must be able to understand the event he or she is being punished for . for it to be effective. I survived just fine within the home and in the school with the paddle. sometimes it takes the message to be received from the other end... from pensacola/ fla by mark

Comment: Kids are out of hand now, thanks to the interference of the govt. and the laws, read the bible, "spare to rod, spoil the child." so true, I know first hand. by Jennie

Comment: This is a question where either can be right.I feel there are some children that you can talk to and put restrictions on other than having to spank them. There are probably some kids that need a swat on the behind to get the point across to them. However.....hitting a child 20 times with a belt and leaving welts sounds more like anger and rage on the Grandmothers part. from Pensacola FL by Bonnie

Comment: Spanking can be a good thing to control kids but there is a differance in spanking and beating. For one thing you should never spank when you are upset, if you are upset wait cool off and then explain why they are getting a spanking and only spank don't beat. from Mary Esther, FL by Frank

Comment: Too much of the irresponsible behavior we see on TV today stems from lack of discipline and lack of respect. from Gulf Breeze by Don

Comment: My children a banker and a lawyer were spanked at 2-5 years old. After they were 5-8 years old I tried to reason with theem and offered a choice between a spanking and a hug if they promised not to repeat the unacceptable behavior. from Fort Walton by Ray

Comment: But you have to do it with love and more,you have to talk to your child. Not just spanking. If you was to ask my 16year old son he would say he is a better person because of the way he was brought up. from Fort Walton Beach, FL by Dairrell

Comment: There is a big difference in spanking a child and beating a child. I think the Federal and state governments have no right what so ever telling us how to raise our children. It is wrong and in some cases a spanking is the only thing a child will understand. I belive as the bible states. Spare the rod spoil the child from Monroeville, Alabama by Bill

Comment: I do believe spanking still has it benefits.Yet there are times it is better to sit the child down for a period of time, or take something away such as a toy as punishment. from Crestview,Florida by Glenn

Comment: You can spank a child without being abusive; and you can be abusive to a child without spanking, too. from FWB, FL

Comment: There is a fine line between spanking and child abuse. I am a "baby boomer" raised on being spanked for discipline. When playing with my friends and I was bad, my mom's friend spanked me and when I got home I got another spanking. Diffenent times today, but I think if you do not get the spanking done while they are young, it is to late when they are older; then they will spank you. from Pensacola by Regina

Comment: We were all spanked when we where children and we all lived. I think children are to spoiled today with not being punished and it's turning them into horrible people. I do believe that you can take it to far and you have to know when to stop the spanking. from pensacola by kim

Comment: I was a Police Officer for 7 years and 100% believe in spanking within reason. There is a fine line between abuse and discipline. I have spanked my son only 3 different times, once for cheating at school, once for foul language and once for doing something after he was warned not to do it..or else. I am comfortable with spanking when I as a parent see as it is warranted. 20 years ago we had less crime involving kids 10-16 years old, I can't help but if the increase in crime is because the school can't spank our kids without fear of some idiot saying..."I'll sue you" from fort walton beach florida by james

Comment: When done without anger. from Georgiana, AL by Sherry

Comment: Spanking has been effective for many years. I am thankful today for the few welts I got from a belt. I am thankful I do not have any children as I would go to jail before I would allow my child(ren) to run amuck as many parents are allowing their child(ren) to do today. Just look at the difference in the behavior of children today as opposed to 15 years ago. We never had to worry about guns in school, you knew if the school called with something like that, you would carry some welts. Crime rate among teens was much lower. Todays youth are becoming out of control with the parents lack of ability to properly discipline their children. Butt Out DCF!!! There is an OBVIOUS difference between discipline and abuse. Ms. Pina, I salute you for properly keeping this child in line. That child will learn and grow from it. It will be much appreciated years down the road! from Milton/FL by Al

Comment: Spanking is effective punishment however the parent needs to ensure the child understands the corellation between the spanking and the offending act. from Navarre by Jonny

Comment: My two brothers and me were raised by my grandparents. I got a whoppin when I messed up. Because I learned disaplin and respect, I was able to accomplish everything I ever wanted to do. As my children were growing up, I used corpral punishment as a last resort. Now both of them are sucessful business people because they learned TO RESPECT. Sometimes a good butwhoppin does more good than any study done by some mouthbreathin knuckle dragger who never had the joy of raising kids. There has never nor will there ever be a method or study that can tell a parent how to raise a child. YOU HAVE TO LEARN AS YOU GO, and hope you don't make a mistake. from Katy, Tx. by Benjamin

Comment: yes it is! it has been used as discipline world around and here years ago. it should go back to that! child abuse? you got to be kidding me! its called raising your child with discipline! from p'cola fl by h

Comment: The problem with children now, and by that i mean them being disrespectable to there elders, teachers, parents or any form of authority, is they have not had any disipline that they have needed. Parents decided to put their kids in "time out" instead of putting a belt on the kids bottom ,the result is the kids are doing "time". I have three children whom i have disciplined with spankings and all three are respectfull to myself, their mother, other adults, and their teachers. And besides being kids if you ask them,my kids, if their PUNISHMENT was justafied for their actions which got them into trouble in the first place, they would say YES. But then again i know what my children are doing and who they are with, i guess you could say i care about them and their futures. from Pensacola, Fl by Brian

Comment: Spanking can be the only way to keep children from doing something dangerous, like running in the street or playing with fire. I spanked my children on rare occasions and always made sure I wasn't angry or frustrated before I spanked them, then reaffirmed my acceptance and love for them. It hurt me more than the children. from Pensacola, Fl by Laura

Comment: I am glad I had my children 20 years ago. New parents are faced with the threat of a felony for mearly punishing their child. I have wittnessed children threatening their parents for abuse when it didn't happen and it came out unfounded when the child reported it. Its time the government stayed out of parents business. from Pensacola fl by J

Comment: Spanking should not be used for punishment but for correction. I think your question is mis leading from Pensacola, fl by Gil

Comment: I am glad I had my children 20 years ago. New parents are faced with the threat of a felony for mearly punishing their child. I have wittnessed children threatening their parents for abuse when it didn't happen and it came out unfounded when the child reported it. Its time the government stayed out of parents business. from Pensacola fl by J

Comment: DCF is the last agency that should be doling out judgment when at least one of its employees is physically, emotionally, mentally, and verbally abusive to her own children/stepchild. These people know just how hard to slap without leaving a mark. They know the law and even if they cross the line, they depend on their buddies to have their backs. Spanking, then, is just one more thing to fear, and becomes a completely noneffective form of discipline, if it ever was. from Pensacola, FL by Martha

Comment: Not spanking your child for discpline when other forms of punishment fails is what is wrong with the kids today. The kids today that are not disciplined are unruly, disrespectful, in drugs, stealing, and so on. Our parents and grandparents grew up on spankings and it did not hurt them, I even grew up with spankings. when my mom or dad spanked me I did not want to do whatever it was I did wrong. Yes a belt will give whelps if not used correctly, but hey what would they do if the spanking was with a peach tree limb. I am not talking about one that is farther along in age. I am talking about the new ones that are very limber and did not break. My sisters and I would dance around hoping it would hurry up and break. But I turned out very well. Growing up I did not get in trouble. The spankings taught me a lesson and I used this type of punishment for my kids when they were younger and now they are teenagers and are not involved in gangs, drugs, stealing,immorality. You think we should not spank our kids, look in the Bible. Jehovah tells us to not spare the rod but discipline our children. from Pensacola, FL by Judy

Comment: I THINK THAT SPANKING SHOULD NOT BE USED BECAUSE ITS WRONG AND SOME PARENTS USE AS AN ABUSIVE WAY OF SPANKING THEIR CHILD AND I THINK THAT IS WRONG from Milton/ Fl by Brittney

Comment: A parent or guardian should be able to spank their child without being TOLD BY THE GOVERNMENT THAT THEY CAN'T. Look at all the crime in todays would and most of it is because the parents are not allowed to spank their children. The bible tells us to spank our children. It says spare the rod (belt) and spoil the child. WAKE UP people! from Pensacola, Fl by C B

Comment: I believe pain is the worlds best teacher. However there is a fine line between spanking and beating a child. My father whooped my butt many a times growing up and looking back I can't think of a single time I did not deserve it. Now I may not be a perfect person but I am not a theif or a drug user or a gang member. A time out may be just fine for a 2 year old but a stubbern 10 year old? Time out means I got away with it and now I have time to plan my next act of terrorism! from Pensacola/Florida by Roger

Comment: These people have it all wrong! Spanking is not about getting a childs attention. It is about making them see that every action has a consequence both good and bad. As the child gets older and the actions bolder so do the consequences. You can't just beat the heck out of them no for that reason at some point they are to big for spankings then there other consequences they must pay. Toys or games taken away, grounding, no tv, all sorts of things are important to them. If they wish to have those things they must follow the rules just as we do. If they aren't taught this at a young age when they get older they don't understand don't make any attempt to follow any rules. This is how I fear society is going now! from Pensacola/Florida by Roger

Comment: As long as the spanking is confined to use of a bare hand. I was raised with five of my eight siblings. If any one of us was corrected in this manner (and we all were), it sent a "clear and positive" message to the rest of us that that particular infraction would not be tolerated in our household. "Spare the rod and spoil the child" is more true today than it ever was. Of course, there has to be 'common sense' enough to realize that use of "a rod" is not to be taken literally. from Mary Esther, FL. by Tom


 
 
     
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