Do You Believe It Is Wrong To "Discipline" Your Child In A Physical Way?

by minimus 32 Replies latest jw friends

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  minimus

  My grandkids were being mouthy and they learned a new phrase, "SHUT YOUR MOUTH". It could be directed to their parents, grandparents or anyone who said something they didn't like. They are 2 and 4 years old and beautiful children. Their parents have made it known that they would not tolerate their comments. ( I applaud them). They even lightly slapped their mouth for their utterances.

  Do YOU think that doing this is wrong, or abusive or even illegal? (I don't) I'd like your opinion. (And for what it's worth, the typical type of discipline that the children get is a short term punishment, like going to their room until they apologize.
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  straightshooter

  I do not believe in physical or verbal abuse, but the situation you described I feel was very appropriate. I feel that there should be limits. But I feel that the government goes way too far in their interpretation of physical punishment for children. Now many parents are scared to physically punish their child.
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  Quendi

  I think the kind of physical discipline your grandchildren received from their parents is entirely appropriate. I also don't believe in physical or verbal abuse of anyone, but there are times when a physical response, done with the intention of reinforcing other instruction, is appropriate.

  Quendi
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  minimus

  Very balanced.
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  mrsjones5

  I don't like my kids saying shut up or butt. They slip all the time but I've never hit them in the mouth to make them stop. I've given other words to say that are more acceptable. My youngest had a potty mouth for a while. Telling him to stop in a conventional way wasn't working (his autism was playing a role in that) and corporal punnishment is not something I would revert to for this kind of problem especially with him so I thought of a way he could substitute saying the potty words by saying "beep!". He loved it and thought it was funny, especially when other family members would say beep. That in addition to a few other things helped my son to stop.
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  mickeyman1

  This Czech movie is inspirational. But must see it full.Obecna skola
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  cofty

  Personally I think it is always wrong to strike a child.

  It is already illegal to use anything to hit a child with in the UK - belt, slipper etc. A light smack on the leg or behind is legal if it does not leave a mark. Hitting a child in the mouth would almost certainly be illegal here.

  Ireland are proposing making all corporal punishment illegal.

  When I was young it was common to see parents strike their children in public, now that never happens and would almost certainly result in the parent being challenged by anybody who witnessed it and probably being reported to the police. I would definitely intervene if saw a parent strike their child.

  I think the day will come when we will look back and wonder how in earth we ever thought it was a good idea to hit a child.
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  TheClarinetist

  I think that it all depends on the situation. Spanking your child because they won't stop crying is abuse. Forcibly holding your child down because if you don't they are going to kill someone isn't (I have seen this happen first hand... Not pretty). Of course, from what I understand, the current research in child development suggests that spanking or any physical discipline may have negative effects on the child's emotional and intellectual development, so as such it should probably only be used as a last resort, IMHO.
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  minimus

  Cofty, I could never say never...I've seen children want to run into traffic and continue to want to play in the street until their mom slapped them on the bum. It stopped the child from worse things.
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  lilbluekitty

  You'd think that because I was physically abused as a child I'd either be totally for or totally against any form of physical punishment but I will be honest and say that I don't think it's horrible to smack a kid (only my own, if I had one) if they said something awful and were old enough to know it was wrong or if they'd been repeatedly told not to. I would never strike a child in anger though and I haven't decided whether or not I believe in spanking since again, I am not a parent. But in certain situations, espescially when the child has been warned several times and punished in other ways, I'd say a smack (just one) could be given.

  I have a friend that calls herself a "gentle parent" (apparently there is some such movement or whatever with that name) that believes almost every type of discipline is horribly wrong, even a firm "NO." I had been relating on FB how I really hate being at restaurants where there are children screaming constantly and I said, Don't the parents believe in telling the kid NO and warning them they'd take them outside or at least place a hand over their mouths? Several people, including her got all angry at me and said the things I suggested were abusive which didn't make sense to me. My "gentle parent" friend actually believes in allowing a child to scream and basically do whatever it wants. I can imagine what they're going to be like when they get older... =/

  I do NOT believe in striking a child, especially not with an object. No "rod" for me!