Well put my friend.

I understand where you're coming from but most people find it very hard to control themselves (like my dad) and don't know when to stop. A sharp slap on a childs hand can damage the nerves in the hand hence the reason why it is illegal in some countries.
It always starts off with a slap, the slaps get harder everytime and the marks get redder and last longer, then the punching starts...need I go on?

I think the reason these new 'strategies' arn't working is simply because people don't know how to discipline their children effectively, they need educating. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying parents are dumb, what I am saying is that (yet again) the governments are not thinking before acting, they come along and say 'this isn't right' and make it illegal. Would a doctor tell a drug addict to go cold turkey? no, they'd subsitute it with something else, put them into a detox centre and slowly wean them off it.

there's a lot of things to consider

POPPYCOCK! Sharply slapping a toddler on the hand isn't going to damage any nerves, fledgling or not. You would really REALLY have to slap, no, STAMP on a childs hand to stunt nerve growth. Infact I'm fairly sure anything short of setting fire to the toddler is not going to stunt nerve growth.


Your biast is showing, if you are unable to consider other parents as anything other then insane child beating idiots then this probably isn't the debate for you.


I'm going to cut you off right there, because parents really don't need educating. The human race has survived for millenia without the goverment forcing them to learn how to teach their kids right from wrong. Now im sure your thinking up a reply scolding me, with lots of references to your abused childhood. Blah blah blah. Parents that beat their children should have their children taken away and put into caring homes and they themselves should be shot, but this is not the issue we are discussing.

Spanking your child works, it worked for me, it worked for millions of others. You can have all the strategies in the world and you can try explaining them to a tiny human that has no grasp of cognitive communication. But I can assure you that negative reinforcement will always prevail.

Let me start off with the fact that I'm not scolding anyone, this is a discussion and I'm discussing and I don't have to refer to my life with my dad, I can pull up plenty of examples but as you said we're not discussing beating.

this is from a report I found from www.lotusfertility.com by Jordan Riak
Physical Danger of Hitting the Hands

The child’s hand is particularly vulnerable because its ligaments, nerves, tendons and blood vessels are close
to the skin which has no underlying protective tissue. Striking the hands of younger children is especially
dangerous to the growth plates in the bones which, if damaged, can cause deformity or impaired function.
Striking a child’s hand can also cause fractures, dislocations and lead to premature osteoarthritis.

I can consider other parents and I'm not biast, what I was trying to point out is the fact that most people don't know when to stop, they have no limit. What if spanking doesn't work and the child does it again? I've known that to happen to plenty of people, neighbours, friends etc.
I agree that spanking a child has worked for millions of years but arn't we smarter and more wiser than that now? we evolved from animals yet we still refer to them and act like them resorting to teaching through physical pain

To say that "most" people don't know when to stop is a gross overstatement. SOME -- though few -- do go overboard. But not most.

I know this sounds naeve, but I don't think any violence should be used at all against kids. Granted, a spank won't cause too much damage, but once it becomes a habit, your kid may start to become afraid of you. I doubt this small amount of violence will cause the child to become violent in turn, but it still isn't a good thing to teach kids.

I've grown up in a home where spanking was something that was used when I misbehaved. It was used on my brother and myself. It worked out well because my brother graduated from college, and I'm currently getting my degree. We both have developed values that benefit society. I do agree that some people go overboard, but I don't think it should be illegal to spank a child. The strategy works and has worked for parents all over the world.

Yes, there are other ways to discipline a child, but I don't see how they work. If you can tell me how they would work, then maybe I'd considering changing my mind. There are some kids that are totally spoiled and are never spanked, and they turn out to be reckless teenagers and adults. A child getting hurt from spanking is totally ridiculous. It may hurt for awhile, but it won't cause serious damage. I've been hit with brooms and umbrellas, yet I've never suffered any serious injuries. I've grown up fine and so have many other kids.

I saw the other day on the news that spanking may cause bipolarity. That is all.

I don't know who wrote this. But their obviously an idiot.
Having done first aid for over six years, including child care and work with the special needs i feel i know a fair amount to do with damage caused by injuries, bumps, knocks, smacks etc.

I can tell you now that yes, you can injure a childs hand. If you follow these rules.
#1. Hit them very hard.
#2. Hit them very hard with a hard object.
#3. Run them over.

I can also tell you now that no, you cannot injure a childs hand. If you follow these rules.
#1. Slap them to cause a jolt of pain but no more.

Yes people can sometimes go overboard but saying that it should be banned because SOME people go too far is like saying cars shouldn't exist because somepeople drink drive.

It's stupid, there will always be the idiot in the bunch but that doesn't mean you need to ban something.

Yes I would spank my child if i had one. but if it was with a belt... nah that's to far.

There are so many disapplen issues in kids today because parents are not asertive enough to say no to their kids. Actions do speak louder than words and will help get the point across. Now if you spank the kid too much then that is abuse. there is a fine line... it's just people are allways swayed by the extreams.

and if you most know, I was spanked as a child and i am for it. I hate seeing kidzillas running around stores. Spanking would fix them.

Most people here have a great point. Spanking your kids at a young age when they misbehave teaches them not to do things. (boys need it more than girls) When a kid misbehaves (like break something or try to act above the parents rule) , smack em right on the butt. By age 5-6, they will understand that there are consequences for their actions. That is how I was raised, and that is how I will raise my kids.