Why don't parents believe in spanking anymore?

It is a biblical principal best illustrated by the sayings of King Solomon in the Book of Proverbs in several places, but my favorite is Proverbs 23:13,14.... "Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell." This was my grandmothers favorite quote when she whipped me with a hickory switch on my bare legs. However, she shortened it after a while to , " I am going to beat the hell out of you boy."

I guess that was when people had lots of children and didn't have time or think it was important to sit down as a full grown adult and attempt to reason with a child.

I think she was right. Recently, I saw a news report that stated that all the CEO's of the fortune 500 companies and their chairmen were spanked. All I can say is to compare the behavior of a majority of kids that are spanked to those that are not and notice the difference. It is not to difficult to spot the difference between people who have been taught that physical pain will come with messing up. It is a natural fact, that if you choose incorrectly that it can cause physical pain, and I am sure that is what spanking was designed to teach.

Not sure where you get the idea that "time out" is the only alternative to spanking.

And furthermore, most parents do still spank...around 65-70 percent, which is over half.

I think there needs to be a well rounded approach. Spanking doesn't work for every kid.

Discipline needs to start early with words and limits. I don't think a child under 18 months should be spanked, they just don't get it. I do think a child's hand should be slapped if they are reaching for something dangerous like an electrical cord. My seven year old is too old to be spanked. I feel it would demean her at that age. We take toys away for a few days when she doesn't clean her room. I hate it when I tell my 7 year old to do something and she starts to whine about it. I want to smack her in the mouth so bad that is not the right way. I let her get away with it when she was younger. Now, I have to try and fin something that works.

I do agree that too many parents are lazy when it comes to disciplining their children. Why? I don't know but it reflects everywhere in our society. So, I will do my part.

Spanking is unnecessary and can lead to abuse. Time out lets a child know that their behavior is unacceptable. It works real well in daycare where spanking a child is not allowed. The good thing about time out is that children don't learn that it's ok to hit.

Because spanking is a lazy form of parenting and is ineffective. It only teaches that it is okay to hit and to also be sneaky. Children will avoid being spanked because they fear the pain and become angry and humiliated. I never spank my children and time-out works quite well in our home. I would never resort to this wimpy way of parenting because I respect my children. I set firm, consistent rules in my home and follow through with consequences. We get compliments on our children's behavior all the time. You are from yesterdays' thinking and need to educate yourself on child development. I work in a professional childcare setting and can always point out the children who are spanked at home. These children are much more aggressive, defiant and insecure. I know of many adults today including myself that were spanked as a child and carry anger and resentment from being hit and it all ranges from light, moderate to almost abusive hitting. So maybe you didn't turn into a serial killer but that isn't because you were spanked. Research shows that the higher the education the person has, the less likely they spank.

Pretty wise, you work for family services??? Yah right, I feel sorry for your kids because you think that hitting children is okay.

I don't think its non-belief its fear of arrest for child abuse. Kids these days are taught from pre-school that nobody should do this and nobody should do that to them. Seriously, i believe that it depends on the child. If you can not talk to them and reason with them, it should be used as a last resort. Some children a smack will do no good, and I do not suggest that these children be chased around with wooden spoons or feather dusters when the initial slap has no effect. Partly I think that it is not as easy to discipline children anymore because as a society we are forcing them to learn and grow up way to fast. Children from a young age these days seem to realise that there are other options and a figuring out new and wonderful ways to get around their mentors. I agree with you also, that sitting them in a corner and telling them to press their noses against the wall does nothing - and all you parents who send your children to their rooms as punishment, when their rooms are full of toys, and t.v.'s and fantastic things to keep them occupied for hours on end - this is not a punishment.

Exactly. Because CPS has taken away our rights to parent our children as we see fit. They think they know your child better than you do. That is why there are so many children in foster care and families torn apart by CPS. Do you know that they trick your child into answering misleading questions at school or if questioned by a CPS worker by their little selves, without you present? Beware. Our constitutional right to raise our children the way we see fit has been all but taken completely away by CPS. I got spanked too and I am a very fun loving, well adjusted adult. Makes no sense that the government thinks they are a better parent than we are to our own loved children. Time out is useless and only gets the child into more trouble for getting up. I agree with you wholeheartedly! Besides, time out is designed to help a temper tantrummer get their little selves under control. Then, you apply age appropriate discipline that is directly related to the misbehavior. i.e. hit a smaller child, get spanked back.

Probably fear of being accused of being a child abuser and punished as a criminal (there are laws against spanking children these days...depending on where you live ofcourse).....and also, generally people perhaps have a more intimate knowledge of child psychology that your/our parents may have had.

Also, who really wants to teach a child that the way to treat someone who does something you don't like is to hit them?

Now that is just silly!

If you absolutely must spank a child...you do it only when all other methods have been exhausted, and ONLY when you really mean business!

I fully agree but it is a fine line, and now the law will step and call it abuse. It is crazy but if a child goes to a teacher and states that their parent hit them (and it may be just a spanking) the teacher by law HAS to report it.

So why don't parents spank anymore, simple, they do not want to have Social Services at their door!

Believe me, if I thought spanking would help "correct" my 5 year old, I'd try it.

Spanking may not land anyone in therapy nor produce serial killers, but it seems more like an emotional reaction on the side of the parent rather than a well thought out and effective approach to changing behavior.