Senate - Spanking is child abuse

[cowtown]

Senate on spanking

This gets at me...why is this unelected body going to dictate to me how I can and can not discipline my child.

I was spanked a handful times as a child. Was I abused...no....looking back, I deserved them. I've even spanked my son a whole two times.

I don't see the problem with a 'crack on the arse' when the situation warrants it.

What do you think?

[ScottSA]

Senate on spanking

This gets at me...why is this unelected body going to dictate to me how I can and can not discipline my child.

I was spanked a handful times as a child. Was I abused...no....looking back, I deserved them. I've even spanked my son a whole two times.

I don't see the problem with a 'crack on the arse' when the situation warrants it.

What do you think?

People who are against spanking generally don't have kids. Any parent knows that there are time when all the reasoning in the world won't stop little Johnny. A crack on the arse does nothing more than focus his attention on the error of his ways. Some senators would benefit from a sharp clack on the arse from time to time too.

[GostHacked]

Senate on spanking

This gets at me...why is this unelected body going to dictate to me how I can and can not discipline my child.

I was spanked a handful times as a child. Was I abused...no....looking back, I deserved them. I've even spanked my son a whole two times.

I don't see the problem with a 'crack on the arse' when the situation warrants it.

What do you think?

People who are against spanking generally don't have kids. Any parent knows that there are time when all the reasoning in the world won't stop little Johnny. A crack on the arse does nothing more than focus his attention on the error of his ways. Some senators would benefit from a sharp clack on the arse from time to time too.

The spank is one great focuser. And I agree. My dad gave me a few good whacks when I was a kid. It's a process of learning to think before you act. The spank, starts the think.

[M.Dancer]

Senate on spanking

This gets at me...why is this unelected body going to dictate to me how I can and can not discipline my child.

I was spanked a handful times as a child. Was I abused...no....looking back, I deserved them. I've even spanked my son a whole two times.

I don't see the problem with a 'crack on the arse' when the situation warrants it.

What do you think?

People who are against spanking generally don't have kids. Any parent knows that there are time when all the reasoning in the world won't stop little Johnny. A crack on the arse does nothing more than focus his attention on the error of his ways. Some senators would benefit from a sharp clack on the arse from time to time too.

The spank is one great focuser. And I agree. My dad gave me a few good whacks when I was a kid. It's a process of learning to think before you act. The spank, starts the think.

My son got spanked yesterday. The wind generated by my hand wasn't strong enough to stir the dust bunnies under the couch. But it isn't the pain inflicted (zero) ...it is the deep seating recognition by the child that the ones who give unconditional love also met out discomfort for anti social behavior.

...we kissed and made up 30 seconds later.

[Mad_Michael]

Senate on spanking

This gets at me...why is this unelected body going to dictate to me how I can and can not discipline my child.

Why not? They already impinge upon how you spend you money, give you permission to get married, drive a car, sell a car, buy a car, they control your healthcare, they control your pension plan, they control the medicines that you may buy...

As for childcare, they manage and oversee daycare centres, they regulate who may legally touch your child, and who may not, they legally determine who has legal authority over your child if you are incapacitated, they also have the power to regulate what medicines and/or substances you may administer to your child.

Gosh, I can't imagine where the Government gets off thinking they have any actual power over you or your child...

[Keepitsimple]

The responses to this subject give me hope that regardless of the political leanings that seem to separate us as posters, we can still find occasions (albeit rarely) to find common ground.

[Mad_Michael]

The responses to this subject give me hope that regardless of the political leanings that seem to separate us as posters, we can still find occasions (albeit rarely) to find common ground.

Really?

The sight of so many people whining about their right to beat their own children disgusts me.

If fantasies of violence are your thing, that's your business, not mine.

[BC_chick]

That article is hogwash, not every parent knows the difference between "correct" spanking and abuse.... as we see time and time again with people who spank the hell out of their children's bottoms (that woman in the shopping mall video comes to mind).

Allowing spanking and setting other "guidelines" is no different than the good old days when you could beat your wife as long as the stick wasn't bigger than a certain diameter. It's ridiculous, just ban it altogether since many people abuse the loophole.

If it's not about about pain, a good scolding along with a serious repercussion such as grounding (without TV, internet etc) will also do. Are you forgetting how afraid you were of authority with or without the fear of physical contact that you think the fear of it would be the only way a child will learn?

[GreenWhiteandPink]

The Supreme Court of Canada ruled 2-3 years ago that spanking within certain limination is permissable, children 2-10 years, for corrective purposes, force not allowed to injure etc.

Dead Issue!

[Guest coot]

Spanking children is only ever done to alleviate parental frustration. It makes the parent feel better (usually only temporarily) but it does nothing for the child, other than to teach them that violence provides release. To alleviate their guilt, the parents convince themselves they are doing it for the children. To alleviate the emotional pain of being beaten by their parents, the children often latently determine it was for their own good. It never is.

[FascistLibertarian]

Spanking children is only ever done to alleviate parental frustration.

Okay clearly your not a parent.

Lets think about this, its not the spanking so much as how you do it. A reasonable person can see this and would know what is abusive.

When you disipline a child you must be sure to explain or show to them why what they did was wrong and how they can avoid doing it in the future.

The generation after ww2 was spanked but decided not to spank their kids, and look at our society now.

I am not saying I would spank my children, but to ban it is silly.

Really if anything they should force parents to go to some psyc courses

[geoffrey]

Physical violence is pretty barbaric. I think it's best to teach kids lessons without telling them that the primary solution to most problems is to smack someone around.

No need for it. My parents never hit any of us, ever. If I did something wrong, I got bitched out for it and sent to my room for a few hours to think about it. Interestingly, neither I or any of my siblings really ever got into any trouble. None of us have the violent tendancies that are so prevalent in society now.

[cowtown]

Interestingly, neither I or any of my siblings really ever got into any trouble. None of us have the violent tendancies that are so prevalent in society now.

Interestingly, my siblings and I were spanked (on rare occasions). We never got into any trouble or have violent tendancies either.

I think it's best to teach kids lessons without telling them that the primary solution to most problems is to smack someone around.

Have you ever tried to reason with a child who is 'blowing a fit'? A spank is both a discipline and discipline/attenion getter.

A spank...I say spank, singular, as opposed to spanking. I believe in a smack on the bottom (crack on the arse) for discipline.

My problem is this...why is our unelected senate trying to dictate what we can and can not do (w/ regards to parental disicpline)? Should this not be debated in Parliament? or not at all as the Supreme Court of Canada already ruled on this recently.

[geoffrey]

Have you ever tried to reason with a child who is 'blowing a fit'? A spank is both a discipline and discipline/attenion getter.

I don't know. I generally found that if I ignored my younger siblings when they were 'throwing a fit' they no longer did so as it didn't attract any attention.

My problem is this...why is our unelected senate trying to dictate what we can and can not do (w/ regards to parental disicpline)? Should this not be debated in Parliament? or not at all as the Supreme Court of Canada already ruled on this recently.

Now in that case, I agree.

[jefferiah]

Physical violence is pretty barbaric. I think it's best to teach kids lessons without telling them that the primary solution to most problems is to smack someone around.

No need for it. My parents never hit any of us, ever. If I did something wrong, I got bitched out for it and sent to my room for a few hours to think about it. Interestingly, neither I or any of my siblings really ever got into any trouble. None of us have the violent tendancies that are so prevalent in society now.

While I mostly agree with this, I think most of the posters on here who resort to the occasional spank to discipline their children are not abusing them, nor is it a matter of pleasure as one person put it.

In many cases physical discipline is not necessarily smacking someone around to teach em a lesson. Often when there is something dangerous which parents don't want a toddler touch they will slap the child's hand. I know that we now have many little contraptions to protect children from dangerous things, like outlets and such, but there are still perhaps some things we haven't taken care of.

I think, as Geoffrey says, people can be raised without a good ole spankin. But I would not call all hitting barbaric, especially when it is used to stop a child from touching something which could cause greater pain.

[geoffrey]

Often when there is something dangerous which parents don't want a toddler touch they will slap the child's hand. I know that we now have many little contraptions to protect children from dangerous things, like outlets and such, but there are still perhaps some things we haven't taken care of.

I think, as Geoffrey says, people can be raised without a good ole spankin. But I would not call all hitting barbaric, especially when it is used to stop a child from touching something which could cause greater pain.

Ok, well that makes sense. People do that forever, not just limited to children. Like when I'm going for the shrimp ring before all the guests have arrived.

[ScottSA]

I don't think it's reasonable to classify spanking with all the adjectives like "hitting," and "violence," and "beating." Most people who have kids have smacked their bottoms at least once or twice, and know full well that it does no more than focus their kid's minds. To pretend that spanking is tantamount to curb stomping is just silly, and it's a silly politicization of parental rights.

[RB]

I was a rebellious kid and teen so I have a greater experience of hitting, smacking

I never felt I deserved such punishments and voice my opinions and got smacked about for that too...also called being disrespectful

No child should be allowed to suffer some end results from sheer frustrations, of abuse, of failed parenting, and bullying little ones

As parents if you cannot control and manage your tempers, and as you "think about hitting kids", also recall as a child you did not take well to being smacked - I mean you all have stories

The law is meant to protect that one child who will need it most, and all children when those in authority decide to think it is time for hitting and lashing out, and to go berserk

[ScottSA]

also recall as a child you did not take well to being smacked - I mean you all have stories

That's precisely the point.

[Moxie]

Where does a bunch of over paid paper pushers get off telling Candian Parents how to discipline their children. Enough with this liberal nanny nation tripe, the left and the left/left need to get out of our homes and mind their own business.

[geoffrey]

Where does a bunch of over paid paper pushers get off telling Candian Parents how to discipline their children. Enough with this liberal nanny nation tripe, the left and the left/left need to get out of our homes and mind their own business.

Should we be able to beat our wives too? Within reason of course, they will learn with a good smack in the face when they disobey right??

No government in my house.

[Guest coot]

I find it strange that the apologists for this behaviour go so far as to try and redefine "hitting." They would deny the undeniable fact that the only way for this type of punishment to work is by inflicting pain. If there isn't any pain, the brat will laugh and say "didn't hurt." So the already frustrated parent has to measure the sweet spot of pain infliction: enough to have an effect but not so much as to constitute abuse. All for a form of punishment that isn't particularly effective anyway. It often instills bitterness and mistrust in the children, only leading to further rebellion.

Is that also proof I'm not a parent?

[ScottSA]

I find it strange that the apologists for this behaviour go so far as to try and redefine "hitting." They would deny the undeniable fact that the only way for this type of punishment to work is by inflicting pain. If there isn't any pain, the brat will laugh and say "didn't hurt." So the already frustrated parent has to measure the sweet spot of pain infliction: enough to have an effect but not so much as to constitute abuse. All for a form of punishment that isn't particularly effective anyway. It often instills bitterness and mistrust in the children, only leading to further rebellion.

Is that also proof I'm not a parent?

It's very effective if it's used sparingly enough that it means something. Anyone with well behaved kids knows that.

[geoffrey]

It's very effective if it's used sparingly enough that it means something. Anyone with well behaved kids knows that.

What about a well behaved wife? Is it as effective there? Why do you draw a distinction?

[bush_cheney2004]

What about a well behaved wife? Is it as effective there? Why do you draw a distinction?

Or husband....partner....significant other?

The law defines the distinction for us:

Police officers, parents and those who are defending their property are three examples of people who may use reasonable force to arrest, discipline or defend without causing assault and battery. Other examples include sports opponents, those in mutual combat and those who are defending themselves or a family member from bodily harm.