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#!Parentsroom Weekly Poll Results - Spanking
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Results #!Parentsroom Spanking Poll
Do you believe in spanking your children as a means of discipline?
I must admit I was somewhat surprised by the results of our first poll. As it turns out, 65.3% of those that answered our poll, DO believe in some sort of spanking as a means of discipline.
Here are the results, broken down further:
- 50% believe in giving their children an "occasional swat"
- 27% don't believe in spanking their children under any circumstances
- 15.3% believe in giving a "formal spanking" when necessary
- 7.6% had other answers, such as they didn't really believe in spanking, yet sometimes resorted to it, or they had a spouse that did.
The following are some comments we received:
- Sometimes, when children are littler, they do not always understand a "talking to. " A single spank gives them a "shock", letting them know that no means no and that you want them to stop playing with the electric plugs, hitting the baby with a toy, etc.
- I believe that while a child is still
in much-padded diapers, and they are
in some kind of danger, a swat on the
tush is a good way of getting their
attention. After that, when they are
able to understand and be reasoned
with (a different age for each child),
there are more productive and
appropriate means of parenting.
- I believe that to hit children in any way reinforces the belief that big people can push, hit or bully those smaller than themselves. Also, how can we teach our children to resort to other forms of problem solving and expression when we as adults cannot do these ourselves?
- When our children needed spankings for misbehaving, we would explain to the child first why they were getting a spanking. After the spanking we would let the child have a few minutes to themselves then hold and hug the child and talk about what just happened to make sure they really understood the reason for the spanking. This has always worked great for us. Our youngest is 12 now so the spankings are pretty much over now but it's nice to here them tell us they appreciated the way we did it. They still felt very loved even though they were getting punished.
- Yes, I do believe that "spanking" is an acceptable form of discipline. I would not spank my child every time that they misbehaved. There are many discipline tools to use for many different situations and when all forms are used, spanking just becomes another consequence to an action that was unacceptable and defined as wrong.
- I can only remember having to give my son one swat on the behind in his 10 years on the planet. I don't know if he is just abnormally well behaved or what (he is an only child so there is only so much trouble he can get into). But he responds so well to other forms of punishment (i.e. no T.V.) that I never have to resort to spanking.
- I do not spank my child unless the inappropriate behavior is one that will physically harm my daughter or someone else. All other inappropriate behavior are handled with conversation and time outs. We have even thrown toys away for good when she has refused to clean them up, but we rarely spank. Spanking is reserved for dangerous behavior, such as kicking while throwing a tantrum, putting something in an electrical outlet, biting, etc.
- Both my husband and I believe in spanking, but it is used as a last resort. First we try the 1-2-3 time out method and then have our child either sit on a chair for a period of time or stand against the kitchen wall. The majority of the time this only happens to our six year old. However, when both kids argue (the other is nine) and we give them a warning, then they are both facing the wall with their arms around each other.
- A spanking on the behind, gentle enough not to be interpreted as a beating but forceful enough as to allow the child to know it is the negative result of misbehavior.
Spanking should never be done in anger, but carefully explained the "why" of the spanking.
- My child is three and has been spanked three or four times since he was born. I don't believe in spanking, but my husband does. I was not spanked as a child, but my husband was. Of course, I believe that I am the one who is right. All spanking seems to accomplish is relieving the parent anger, which isn't just cause to strike your child, makes your child fear you, and it usually just makes matters worse. The few times my child was spanked was done with a tap on the hand. Since we don't ever spank him, then that more than hurt his feelings. If you spank them too much, then they just learn to take it and don't really care one way or the other. Time-out is one of the best methods to use as discipline.
- I believe in nurturing parenting and gentle discipline, which doesn't include spanking. Respect for children is very important in my book!
- I believe that after certain corrections
and the child is still disobeying that a
spanking is o.k. I don't believe in belts or spanking when furious with your child. I received a few in my childhood and I don't feel less love or
hatred. I am a very caring person and I respect my elders. Kids nowadays have no respect for adults, they believe they can walk all over them and I believe that it is our fault for not disciplining them and teaching them respect. I don't think a proper spanking
is wrong! I believe that is what is wrong with our teens today.
- No, I don't believe in spanking a child all the time, but, I do think that if it is a matter of safety, the odd swat on the backside isn't a bad thing. Example: if you have told the child umpteen times that something is dangerous, like running into the street, and they do it again, a swat on the backside may make them remember that that isn't a good thing to do. A swat is going to hurt a lot less than a car.
- I see nothing wrong in giving an unruly child a good spanking as long as the misbehavior is absolutely intolerable and there is no other means of discipline left. I think a children should & could be spanked between the ages of 2-16. I would only use my hand or a light paddle to spank.
- With four children in the house, it is difficult to teach them that having the most force does not make you right if I am using force to make my point. I believe that there are other ways to discipline with love and still be very tough.
- I spanked my son all the way through the 2's. Before this he actually left a hand print on my face as he would hit and kick me. The slap in the face knocked my brain cells into alignment and I hit him back since then. Now all I have to do is threaten to spank and he moves! I want to be his friend, but I will always be his elder. You only need to do it for a short time in their lives and it's really for the best. The first few hits were hard but you get over it.
- I have hit my child, all to freely I might add. I hate it!! I always do it when my anger is out of control. I have routinely hit her once on the bottom and have handled her roughly at the same time. Yesterday I slapped her hand three times. This is something I want to stop!! Hitting a child, I believe only sends the message that its ok to hit when your angry. My mother always hit me when she was angry, although she denies ever doing it, and I have obviously learned somewhere in the recesses of my mind that this behavior is ok. I have also learned how NOT to control my temper.