I don't think people are using that as justification for spanking they are commenting that they were spanked and turned out okay - later on many then talk about whether they will or will not or did or did not spank their children.
I don't see that as a problem - if George Washington could be spanked (probably why he never told a lie - which is a trait he no doubt learned after the first spanking) I think joe schmoe's kid can be spanked as well. That is, if Joe Schmoe wants to have spanking in his toolbox of discipline measures - that's up to him - who am I to tell him differently?
You know the one thing I don't see on here is anyone saying - "I had a 10 minute time-out and I turned out okay" - probably because they don't have the internet and access to Calgary Puck Forums while in prison is my likely guess.
You know as a parent it is quite rare that spanking is the first disciplinary measure (and perhaps I am not using the right phraseology so forgive me) that a parent will use.
Of course I am not going to spank my kid for running around the pool - so having the child stop and settle down is probably step one.
Is there ever a time when spanking is warranted - in my opinion absolutely - there are just some situations where the behaviour is so wrong (typically violent or mean spirited) that immediate intervention in the form of a spanking is warranted (again IMHO).
Did I ever spank my kids when I was angry - probably - but the child receives instant feedback - to cool down and wait a couple of hours and then give a spanking is counter intuitive. The longer you wait from the event to the discipline the less effective the measure.
My kids are in their late 20's now - and I would say I could count on half of one hand where they received a spanking.
On the flipside as a kid I can count on both hands when i got a spanking - I was a high energy kid - I am sure I deserved a spanking in most cases but again it wasn't my Dad's first discipline measure - there was "go to your room", "no television"
I don't believe I was ever spanked in my teen years just given the warning "wait til your father gets home" - which typically turned me into an angel but in the end I was still disciplined in some form or another.
When I became a parent there were a lot of things I said I would change from my parent's ways - and did. A lot of it had to do with being less strict, being more generous helping out more (allowances and such). Like anything some things turned out to be more successful then others. I think in some cases I swung the pendulum too much the other way - and as a result my kids lost out on some good life lessons - or learned them later then they should have.
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