Spanking Should Be Banned by Law! November 24, 2002 Parents often use corporal punishment, such as spanking on the behind, to discipline their children. California law definitely prohibits physical child abuse. "Abuse includes unlawful corporal punishment or injury." Penal Code Sec. 11165.6. [Cr.] "Unlawful corporal punishment or injury" is any person willfully inflicting upon a child any cruel or inhuman corporal punishment or injury resulting in a traumatic condition." Penal Code Sec. 11165.4.[Cr.] Current California law says "Serious physical harm does not include reasonable and age-appropriate spanking to the buttocks where there is no evidence of serious physical injury." Welf. and Inst. Code Sec. 300. [Ci.] "The law is not intended to prohibit the use of reasonable methods of parental discipline, or to prescribe a particular method of parenting." Penal Code Sec. 11165.6. [Cr.] Spanking on the buttocks is lawful in California. Other forms of corporal punishment of children, such as pushing or shaking them hard, tweaking their ear very hard, pulling their hair to cause pain, hitting with a fist anywhere on the body, hitting the face or head in any way, and using a stick or belt, can be classified as physical child abuse and are unlawful. Today I will address only spanking on the buttocks because other forms of physical discipline of children are typically already unlawful. Parents use corporal punishment in order to stop a child's unacceptable behavior temporarily. It is used to end a bad situation quickly, with no talk or arguments. Some parents believe spanking and physical punishment are required to be good parents and to teach their children about the real world. They think what their parents did for discipline works best. They also have learned that the culture approves of spanking. They also continues base their ideas on religious principles. - http://babyparenting.about.com/library/weekly/aa072098.htm Parents think they need to get the child's attention, rather than just allow the child to go on doing whatever the child wants to do. - http://babyparenting.about.com/library/weekly/aa072098.htm Parents also really do get angry and frustrated and need to release parental anger. They also need to feel powerful about the situation and to be to prove one is stronger than the child. - http://babyparenting.about.com/library/weekly/aa072098.htm The Bible contains seven verses that may relate to the spanking of children. Five passages in the book of the Bible called Proverbs specifically mention the use of a rod to beat a child. One even mentions that the child cries. A verse in the book called Hebrews refers to a father disciplining his son. which probably implies the use of a rod. Some Christians believe that these passages are not God' law but just a narration of traditional discipline in ancient times and perhaps reflect how the Israeli King Solomon disciplined his son. Other Christians believe in the moral value of spanking. Fundamentalist and other evangelical Christians, believe in the truth of the Bible and feel that the Bible gives a religious obligation to physically punish rebellious children. - Darrel Reid, head of Focus on the Family - Canada They think it is important to start the discipline of children at an early age since that is the only discipline the small child can understand. In the book DOMESTIC DISCIPLINE by Charles Gleason, the author talks about religious reasons for spanking. He says that very mild forms of spanking in the "early years" of childhood can save more severe spankings, because once a child KNOWS they face the strong possibility of being spanked for their offenses, they are more likely to stay out of trouble and try harder to obey. He claims that children and adults have the same "carnal nature" so the same type of discipline works to help curb their desires to do wrong. Spanking is the best prevention against true physical violence. Children who are never spanked are the ones most likely to cause or experience serious violence during their lifetime. The biblical concept is to use the "rod of correction" on children, for certain offenses. Spanking ensures accountability within the home and family, as has been done traditionally for thousands of years. Now let's talk about why spanking should be banned. Parents are not aware of alternatives or they do not believe that the alternatives are effective. http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/familydevelopment/components/7266a.html - What Does Research Say About the Effects of Physical Punishment on Children?, Ronald L. Pitzer. Physical punishment has consequences. One immediate consequence is it does stop misbehavior, BUT research has shown thar it really is no better than other firm measures. The most effective is to move to the child immediately when the request, command, or demand is made. Another consequence is that it can lead to child abuse. Anger and violence can easily escalate out of control of become automatic. (Kadushin & Martin; Straus) A medium-range consequence is spanking cannot teach what to appropriate or alternative behavior. The best that punishment alone can do is teach what not to do. Spanking does not deter a child from repeating the same behavior any better than other methods. Research shows that spanking hinders rather than improves general compliance. Children of non-spanking parents tend to control their behavior on the basis of right or wrong. Spanked children control their behavior out of fear, to avoid being hit. Spanking makes a child unable to pay any attention tlo reasons or explanations - Dr. J. Donald Walcher. Spanking is inconsistent with non-violent precepts the parents often teach. It is confusing to a child. Spanking increases probability of aggressive acting-out, according to research, teaching them that hitting others is morally correct. Persons who have been hit also tend to carry a great deal of anger. - http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/familydevelopment/components/7266a.html - What Does Research Say About the Effects of Physical Punishment on Children?, Ronald L. Pitzer. Physical punishment changes the bond of affection between parent and child and induces resentment and fear. Several research studies have found that people felt that they "hated the parent." A long-range consequence is that children do not learn to take responsibility for their own behavior. They believe they must conforming to proper standards of others, such as parents, teachers, and law enforcers, rather than on basis of what is right or wrong. Research has linked spanking to rejection, powerlessness, anger, fear, low self-esteem, depression, alienation, dependence, emotional instability, emotional unresponsiveness, negative world view, as shown by a national survey of over 8,000 families. An important consideration is that children eventually becomes older and stronger, and physical force is no longer possible. Parents can feel guilty about spanking and this also breaks down trust and relationships. - http://babyparenting.about.com/library/weekly/aa072098.htm Parents can cause pain and inflict actual damage. Using spanking can cause parents to increase their violence. Spanking causes anger, fear, resentment, and shame in the child. Spanking teaches that love and care are not certain. It teaches that hitting/violence as a way to deal with conflict. It causes concentration on the pain or anger, not the bad act. And it teaches that people hurt and control each other, especially bigger ones and that anger and frustration can be helped through violence. Sometimes spanking causes children to repeat bad acts in order to get attention from uncaring parents. Spanking can cause lying to avoid further spanking. Spanking can causes future child abuse. Some researchers say that nonabusive parental spanking has benefits on child outcomes under some important circumstances. But other researchers have not found any beneficial effects. Furthermore, the favorable studies only applied to two to six-year-olds and only when used by loving, sober parents. Some studies found only detrimental child outcomes of nonabusive spanking, almost entirely for children over 6 years old. - http://people.biola.edu/faculty/paulp/debate.html Arguments for corporal punishmnet - Larzelere and Straus Debate June, 1999 Let's talk about more effective methods of discipline. These alternative methods work better and have no bad consequences. One alternative method is verbal correction. This means that you only ask firmly what it is you want done, with no threats. Another is time outs. This method either removes the child from the situation or actually puts the child in an isolated area. A third is to state the logical consequences of a bad action, at the level of understanding of the child. The child should receive as much encouragement and praise for good behavior as correction for problem behavior. Punishment should always be done in private. References http://www.nospank.org/aap.htm - Guidance for Effective Discipline. http://www.religioustolerance.org/spankin3.htm - CHILD CORPORAL PUNISHMENT: SPANKING. http://babyparenting.about.com/library/weekly/aa072098.htm - Before You Spank. http://people.biola.edu/faculty/paulp/debate.html - Larzelere and Straus Debate June, 1999. http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/familydevelopment/components/7266c.html - Arguments That Have Been Given in Support of Physical Punishment of Children, Ronald L. Pitzer. http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/familydevelopment/components/7266a.html - What Does Research Say About the Effects of Physical Punishment on Children?, Ronald L. Pitzer. http://www.epinions.com/kifm-review-5EB-24E646F-394F5786-prod1 - Punishment in Moderation, Jun 20 '00. http://nospank.net/gruen.htm - A brief psychological explanation for pro-spanking sentiment, Excerpt from "The Need to Punish: Political Consequences of Identifying with the Aggressor," by Arno Gruen. http://www.prospank.com/laws.html - Spanking Laws - CALIFORNIA. DOMESTIC DISCIPLINE: THE BOOK, Corporal Punishment of Children and Adults, By Charles Gleason, 2002.