Consistency is important in discipline. So is rationality, so is explaining what was done wrong to the child. But as someone who was spanked as a child, I don't see a problem with it, so long as the parents -do not do it when they're angry-. In fact, being an ADD boy and generally totally self-contained, I'm not sure timeouts would work well. Grounding certainly would not.
I also don't see how spanking breeds violence when gone at with the same philosophy of consistency, explanation, warning, and suchnot. Not only I, but many, many of my friends have been spanked, and almost all of us are non-violent, and have been in few fights. When we were in fights, generally we were attacked by totally undisciplined, uncontrolled kids. Most of the kids that I know who are specifically being raised non-violently are fairly frequently out of control. One of them, who is growing, LOVEs to assault me, kicking me and otherwise putting me in pain. I don't understand why spanking is so taboo. I do understand that extreme violence in spanking is bad.
Although, for victims of abuse, or people who might spank their child inconsistently or in anger, I don't believe that they should. Spanking, as any sort of punishment, needs to be meted out a certain way.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-15 08:10 am (UTC)I also don't see how spanking breeds violence when gone at with the same philosophy of consistency, explanation, warning, and suchnot. Not only I, but many, many of my friends have been spanked, and almost all of us are non-violent, and have been in few fights. When we were in fights, generally we were attacked by totally undisciplined, uncontrolled kids. Most of the kids that I know who are specifically being raised non-violently are fairly frequently out of control. One of them, who is growing, LOVEs to assault me, kicking me and otherwise putting me in pain. I don't understand why spanking is so taboo. I do understand that extreme violence in spanking is bad.
Although, for victims of abuse, or people who might spank their child inconsistently or in anger, I don't believe that they should. Spanking, as any sort of punishment, needs to be meted out a certain way.