i agree. hitting not good when you do that you loose

I grew up getting a whipping for everything. It got to the point where I was scared sigh. No joke I got my ass beat for sighing when my mom asked me to take out the trash. I feel you. I was extremely angry all the time at myself and at others as a child. Now that I'm grown I have a deeper anger towards my parents. It all stemmed from when I told my mom I loves her and she told me she didnt love me. At that point in high school I went cold and sought love elsewhere with no luck. I was married for 12 years and I have 3 kids with my ex. Religion played a huge role in my childhood and marriage and I saw I started to spank my kids(more out of love) but nevertheless I had to stop that behavior. I can't remember when the last time I spanked my kids but I refuse to be anything like my parents. I've separated myself from religion and that lifestyle and now I'm happier. Unfortunately my kids live with my ex. And are raised super religious. I can only show them the love and support as responsible father.

The history of childhood is an interesting topic to explore relevant to this issue. It's only been in the past 5 to, say, 8 generations that there's been a concept, in more affluent countries, of "childhood" as a protected, nurturing, enriching, carefree phase of life. The reality is that in most cultures for most of human history, children were routinely abused in various ways by our current standards, including corporal punishment as a matter of course. They routinely worked, often at (for them) hard, monotonous jobs for little or no pay, they weren't provided free public education (indeed, the concept of "Sunday School" was initially an effort to provide at least basic education to 19th century children on their only day off from work). Children were to be seen but not heard. Sometimes they were not even to be seen. They served as "poison containers" for the self-loathing of similarly-raised parents. It was assumed that many of them would not even reach adulthood, and this was not always seen as a Bad Thing either.

In other words, in the sweep of human history, child abuse and neglect has been the norm.

So in support of this salubrious trend of treating children as precious assets to be nurtured and affirmed by society, I am not in favor of corporal punishment. I feel there are always alternatives and if you have to resort to it, you're out of ideas, and should seek the help of the larger society in managing your children.

All that said, I don't necessarily regard light and occasional corporal punishment as abusive or harmful, and it can be less harmful than not dealing with behavioral problems at all. How the child reacts to it depends on a child's personality and emotional climate and the overall tenor of the household. My father only needed to glare at me to produce the same effect I imagine spanking has on other children. I have seen chaotic, conflict-ridden households where it's never quiet or serene and everything is confrontational. I have seen adults of such households have very fond memories of childhood.

So it all comes down to there not being some simplistic hard and fast rule about it. I think people should be encouraged to raise, mentor and discipline their children without resorting to striking them. I'm not 100% positive it's never a good, or at least less bad, idea, depending on the particular child and parent you're talking about.

Not all people who spank their kids do it "viciously". I see nothing wrong with a swat on the butt, or a slap on the hand. There is a huge difference between spanking, and beating a child. I say parents, do what you are comfortable with, just don't let your kid be an asshole.

Catholic family 3 boys & 3 girls....

I was slapped around and so was my older brother...my little brother didn't get it much at all.

But he never laid a hand on my mother or any of my sister's.

Had his principles you see.

If applied to any other person it would be considered assault. Why is it accepted to use violence on a child is perplexing to me just as is torture. It is very prominent in the black community extended it is surmised, from a history of plantation over seers abusing physically their charges. Professional sport players beating children seemed acceptable in the context of "we all got whoopings as kids". A 225 pound man beating a 40 lb child is not a whooping. It is a dangerous cruel anachronistic method of punishment that landed him in court & in parenting classes. Do not beat or assault your children.

I agree. There is no valid reason to use the infliction of pain, fear and dominance with children. In my opinion.

Absolutely. The only thing corporal punishment teaches a child is that it's ok to use violence against people who are weaker than you.