To spank or not to spank?

[Wild_Thrasher]

The key is to find whatever tools work best to motivate and train your children behaviors to bring them to Biblical standards.


No matter how your child learns, the important thing is that you don't lower the standard to your child's level. A child's personality or temperment does not exempt them from living to the standard. God's moral requirements do not vary from child to child.

"Oh, but my child is different" is not a legitimate exception clause in the scheme of the Bible.

 

[Mom of 6]

Im not going to add much to this. You all did such a great job.
I was spanked and I consider myself a fine Women'. I do not spank my children very often but when I do there is a noticable differance in the amount of time it takes for them to try to push my buttons again.
Even a repeated, consistant spanking has cured my toddler twins of some horrific actions. It may take a few days to a week of being firm with them but it pays off in the end.
My fellow spankers, you gave me a lot of insight on spanking.
I think you are great parents!
Susan

 

[Kawani]

We don't spank and our children are well behaved. They know what to expect. My sister told my mom that she isn't going to be like me she is going to spank and my mom told her that that isn't the issue. She said that our children know what to expect because they are consistantly disciplined. Consistancy is the issue...it can be good or bad discipline...seek the Lord's counsel. Pray, pray, pray...

 

[PollyAnna]

I definitely believe there is a place for spanking but I don't believe it is the end all to discipline. Sometimes less is more. You just have to know what buttons to push to get your child to do whatever is expected. We do spank on occasion but we also explain to him in detail why and how to avoid it in the future. Now I usually just have to tell him a spanking is on the way if he continues whatever he's doing and he'll get back on track.

One thing we expect him to say is "yes mommy" or "yes daddy" etc. when he's instructed in something. The other day he came over to me and asked "mommy, what does No Mommy mean?" LOL I used that as a good time to let him know that mean a swift spanking was on the way and I didn't advise him to try it. He understood and I don't expect to hear that come out of his mouth anytime soon. I was impressed that he asked rather than testing it out to see what happened.

Anyway, spanking isn't always necessary in directing your child down the right path, but sometimes it is.