Hitting Children as a Punishment

A few topics I have read through lately have incited me to make this, and I think it'll be a fairly interesting discussion with a range of different views.

Getting right down to it, is hitting children a reasonable punishment for parents to do? Put the laws prohibiting child abuse aside. Under what circumstances does a kid deserve to be hit, if any? Are privilege restrictions sufficient in punishing children or is a physical deterrent from misbehavior also necessary?

I think that it is okay for children to be spanked or slapped, according to age and within reason. If it's something that is happening frequently, it's obviously not working. Hitting your kid harder would not be the answer and other measures would be necessary. It is also not acceptable for parents to get carried away while using this as a punishment. Sure, make it hurt, but anything that is strong enough to leave a bruise or more isn't right. A quick slap serves as one hell of a deterrent from misbehaving and if it's not happening all the time, I don't see anything wrong with it.

I'm trying to defend my view on this before anyone has even attacked it, so it's kind of hard for me to be concise. I'll be less vague when I'm actually addressing someone regarding this.

It's also pretty nifty that I can instantly approve this thread for SD status.

I was hit when I was like five-seven, my parents would spank me softly and it never hurt, I just knew it was their way of saying there not kidding around. I say it's okay to hit a kid once in a while to show them that you are not kidding, but there is no way a parent should ever hit their kid and make it hurt badly. IMO, it's okay as long as it doesn't hurt the kid real bad.

My dad would hit me when I was younger
Not like beatings, but just when I was crying and stuff
I think that it helped me though
Whipped me in to shape in a sense

But, I think that those kids that won't shut the hell up in Target, and you can hear them from across the friggen store, need to be backhanded or something

That WILL stop them from w/e they were doing before
They'll just stop and have that wtf look lol

They will shut up though

I've seen it work a couple of times

I cheer inside when I see people do that..

It's a rarity anymore though.
People are usually just like NO XBOX or TIME OUT

That doesn't do shit

quote Big Willie

To be quite honest, I've seen some children and thought to myself "A good slap would straighten that kid out." I know that's a really cynical view, but I really think in certain situations that it's needed. Most children can be deterred with a good time out or any other non-violent means, but some simply don't see their parents as the authority. And those are the kids who have no boundaries and do whatever they care to do. And I honestly think letting a child operate with open abandon is far more detrimental to a child's development than a sore bottom.

I've heard that in Japan, their methods of child punishment are far harsher than here in America. Here it is acceptable (for the most part) to spank your kid. There in Japan I've heard that mothers will hit their child with a knuckle right in the forehead for disobeying or even just being impolite. Funny though how Japan has some of the most well-mannered children too.

(again, it's been years since I've heard this, so don't quote me, per say)

Kids don't listen to words. They listen to pain.

If the kid is acting really shitty and 'no toys/tv for you' doesn't work...what's next? Yell at them?


I've been spanked once or twice... my understanding was obviously limited at the time, but it drives its point home.
But slapping/spanking because the kid is crying is obviously...just...stupid.

This, is not good I wouldn't hit my kids, but sometimes it does make sense to hit your kid just like a little slap or something, but not like a " My son spilled my milk so I hit him" but you can if it is " My son stabbed me so I slapped him" Nice going.

quote chubbie huicho

but you can if it is " My son stabbed me so I slapped him" Nice going.

I'd stab that little bastard back

If he knew how it felt

Sorry if that sounded harsh, but that's just me

quote blue

Hitting your children is I guess okay to the point where you really have to, and only maybe one hit and one hit only. Beating your children constantly to the point where your child is scared to any hand or any movement at all is just plain bad.

I agree. As long as you're not hitting them to the point of injury it's alright.
I think it's a good lesson as well. I drew on the wall when i was about 5 and got smacked so i never did it again! I don't have any problem with parents smacking their kids aas long as it isn't excessive or dangerous.