POLL is closed. Lets please let this sticky thread die.

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

Please. Please Please . No fighting. This is ONLY a poll. I tried to represent every possible view. I am NOT stating my opinion. I just want to know the statistics only. This is a touchy subject, and I just want statistical information. PLEASE, no fighting. Represent your opinion by just a vote.

 

[C.Ann]

Where is the poll?

 

[speedydisteen]

TO NOT!

It hurts!

 

[Kath2003]

Spanking only works if it's done to denote extreme disobedience. If you spank a child too often, it loses any impact.

I would say "Yes, on RARE occasions". I can remember being spanked a few times as a child but only if I'd REALLY disobeyed my parents (i.e. after several other punishments). And my parents always, always, always counted to three after they asked us to stop doing something so we had time to avoid whatever discipline they'd chosen.

As a very controlled, occasional discipline method, yes.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

I don't see a poll, but I spanked my kids (16 and 14) and would not change a thing if I had another child right now.

 

[JennyMominRI]

I didn't spank, but I don't think people that do are bad parents.

 

[Pop Daddy]

spankem (old school here)

 

[LaraK]

beat 'um with a big stick!!! Just kidding.

When they are little, they may need a finger slap for danger or a swat on the butt to get attention...more than that and you're more out of control than they are (not that I'm some sort of angel that has never lost control...I walk away)

I got beatings as a child, and I'm fine today. (dad used a ping pong paddle and mom used a slipper...the slipper hurt worse) Every child is different and different people parent differently... I don't think it's my right to pass judgement on your methods unless you are causing harm (real harm, not PC Police harm)

....putting flame resistant suit on now....

 

[littlestix]

I don't see the poll but I vote

No spanking it makes kids

 

[Cool-Beans]

There's no poll.

I spanked. Heck, if I could actually hurt the boys anymore, I'd still spank them. I also kissed their boo-boos. So, I guess that makes me an abusive over-protective mom.

 

[CEDmom]

I don't spank because I don't need to. I have other ways to effectively discipline my DD. An interesting thing though, DD is adopted from China and we had to sign papers saying we wouldn't spank.

I was spanked on a rare occasion as a child and probably deserved it.

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

Sorry, I hit a few snags on the number of characters. Its up now.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Yes, we occasionally spanked (not now as they are 11 & 14) but none of your poll choices fit for me so I didn't vote.

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

Once again, please no fighting. The opinions were only things Ive heard others say. I just want to know the statistics! Just poll and lets see the numbers.

 

[Lovelise]

I believe that since it is extremely possible to raise a child without spanking I would never do so. It isn't a necessary form of punishment, so why use physical pain?

I don't think that a parent who chooses to is a bad parent, I just don't think I would personally do it.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Once again, please no fighting. The opinions were only things Ive heard others say. I just want to know the statistics! Just poll and lets see the numbers.

Who's fighting?

 

[Alyssa88]

I believe that since it is extremely possible to raise a child without spanking I would never do so. It isn't a necessary form of punishment, so why use physical pain?

I don't think that a parent who chooses to is a bad parent, I just don't think I would personally do it.

Sorry, this was actually my post. Forgot to switch from my Mother's user name.

 

[JR6ooo4]

Oh you mean the kids....

Mikeeee

 

[maciec]

I have spanked my kids (3 & 6) in the past when they were way out of control, over the top, bad (which wasn't very often), but found out it is not effective at all. I can't stand it. I could not stand the guilt that I felt for doing it. It made me feel really crappy. I really thought about it one night and said never again. I found more effective ways to discipline my kids and they really work. For my kids taking away their most precious toys hurts more than a spanking.

 

[C.Ann]

I spanked 2 of my 3 kids for serious, dangerous infractions.. It was not an every day type of thing - I wasn't angry when I did it - probably gave them two swats at the most - and I never used anything but my hand.. I had one child who just plain never needed to be spanked - an entirely different personality than the other two..

My Dad spanked me for serious issues - like the time I was playing with matches and almost burnt the house down.. It was deserved - got the point across - and again, he used only his hand.. It did not make me fear him - I loved the man with all my heart (and a piece of my heart went with him on the day he died)..

My Mom was an entirely different situation.. She was very high strung and had extreme anger issues.. Living with her was like living with a ticking time bomb - never knew when she was going to explode over basically nothing.. She would start screaming - not words - just screaming at the top of her lungs.. She would pick up things and throw them at me or grab the closest item and start beating me with it.. I can vividly remember being around three or four years old.. She went into a rage over something and started beating me with the hard backside of a hair brush.. I was crying (obviously) and she kept screaming at me that she wasn't going to stop hitting me until I stopped crying.. I didn't know how to stop.. She never spanked with her hand - it was always an "object".. It was not a swat or two - it was a beating from a totally out of control person.. Odd as it seems, I loved my Mom then - and I love her now.. I think she had issues she couldn't control and never did these things just for the sake of being mean - or even trying to get me to "behave" (because I usually hadn't done anything wrong - I just happened to be there when she "lost it").. But the really sad part is that I'm 57 years old and I'm still afraid of her.. She's 88 - and still goes into these rages.. I can't be in a room with her for 5 minutes without my stomach being in absolute knots and having the urge to run away - as far and as fast as I can..

Even with all of that, I don't necessarily see spanking as a "bad" thing - depending on how, why, with what, and if the person administering the spanking is in control or not..

There's a big difference between "spanking" and "beating".. Beating has no place in a child's life.. Occasional spanking may or may not be necessary for some children for serious (dangerous) infractions - it really depends on the child's personality and his or her ability to comprehend what constitutes dangerous actions..

My DGD (8 yrs. old now) has never been spanked.. There has never been a need - just like the 1 of my 3 children..

Having said that, I'm not really sure "where" I fit in the poll..