Spanking of children

[Esaias]

What was considered correction in Bible days, and even 100 years ago, would be considered "abuse" or "cruel and unusual punishment" today.

People didn't "spank" their kids with a whipper stick, they beat them with a "rod" (staff-like wooden device, think wooden curtain rod). Remember the visitor in Singapore who got sentenced to "caning" several years ago? That was a public beating with a rod, and is a lot closer to what in Bible times would be considered "correction with the rod".

" Boxing the ears" was, up to about 100 years, a common corrective used on children - punching or smacking them upside the head.

People today couldn't handle life as it was 100 years ago.

As a kid I was once unjustly beaten black and blue with a tomato stick (1x2). Literally turned my bum and back of the thigh green and purple, lasted for two weeks. I say unjustly because I honestly did not do what I was accused of. But guess what? I MADE SURE from then on the situation never recurred, the false accusation was due in large measure to my own negligence and prior bad behavior.

And I didn't grow up torturing animals or becoming a sociopath.

My dad had it far worse than I did, too.

BTW, the spankings stopped when I was like 11 and I literally disarmed my mom (took the belt from her lol).

[Tithesmeister]

Originally Posted by diakonos

Yes, I know. But why inflict physical pain? People don’t hit their pets to train them, but spanking a child to get the desired result is acceptable? I don’t get it.

Comparing the needs of children to pets may not be the best idea you’ve ever had. Having said that, have you ever heard of shock collars? Or a newspaper used as a means of disciplining a dog?

I believe the rearing of children is a higher calling than training animals. I wouldn’t be flattered if someone told me my children behaved like animals.

Generally, our Heavenly Father should be the model for rearing or training up our natural children. Does he chasten us? Of course! Is it because he loves us? Every time!

[14] I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:

And of course . . .

Prov.13

[24] He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

If you love your children, you should spank them when their behavior warrants it. If it becomes routine, it loses its effectiveness and can lead to confusion and rebellion.

[Ehud]

Originally Posted by Esaias

" Boxing the ears" was, up to about 100 years, a common corrective used on children - punching or smacking them upside the head.

I used to hear that phrase all of the time. Many times I received such a thump in the back of the head that I'm surprised I didn't end up with whiplash. Dad would always say he was doing me a favor because, in his words, "I could see by the look in your eye that you were about to say something stupid." I didn't realize it at the time, but he was indeed saving me from my mother.

was very much my reality growing up! Ha!

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Ehud

"I could see by the look in your eye that you were about to say something stupid."

That's a good one.

[votivesoul]

All corrective disciplines are necessary for teaching that there is a consequence for bad behavior, disobedience, and etc. Some of those corrective disciplines cause pain, in one form or another.

A cost must be incurred when a price has been paid. With God, the cost can be up to eternal damnation in the second death. All forms of penalty therefore, are to model that possibility.

Reverence for God usually begins with reverence for parents, or authority figures in general, in the life of a child, from the earliest ages. Part of that reverence is fear. Actual fear, in the negative sense, that is.

Each parent has to intimately know their children, and what form of punishment is best to bring about correction. Hurting for the sake of vengeance or wrath is just sadism.

[jediwill83]

Originally Posted by diakonos

Yes, I know. But why inflict physical pain? People don’t hit their pets to train them, but spanking a child to get the desired result is acceptable? I don’t get it.

Heres an argument for you...


If we spank a child because they are not able to be reasoned with then whats to justify not physically punishing the elderly that revert back to a childlike state?


If its wrong for me to do something like that to an adult we probably shouldnt do it to a child...


But that's just a opinion

[hometown guy]

Originally Posted by jediwill83

Heres an argument for you...


If we spank a child because they are not able to be reasoned with then whats to justify not physically punishing the elderly that revert back to a childlike state?


If its wrong for me to do something like that to an adult we probably shouldnt do it to a child...


But that's just a opinion

Because an adult in that condition is going the opposite direction of a child. We are trying to teach a child something. An adult that has a childlike mind is not headed out for society one day.

[Apostolic1ness]

spank them and make them eat their vegies. Take away their xbox and cell phone car keys too. send them to their room and make them stand facing the corner. wash their mouths out with soap, and make them go cut their own switch.

It used to work.

[MawMaw]

Originally Posted by diakonos

What is your opinion on spanking children?

My opinion is that if spanking worked you wouldn’t have to do it again. Inflicting pain confuses a child. I wouldn’t want my child to have an unhealthy fear of me. I’m probably biased because growing up I was hit as the first option. Sometimes yelled and cussed at came first. Sometimes.

I’ll share an experience with you. I did something that required punishment. I was told to get into the shower. I did. After I was nice and wet my mother’s live-in came into the bathroom. He untwisted the wooden plunger stick from the rubber piece. He then proceeded to hit me probably 15-20 times on my bum. I recall the difficulty and pain while sitting at my school desk for maybe a week. I was 7 years old. No big deal. Many have experienced worse.

I don’t think I could spank my child. I don’t grasp this concept of inflicting physical pain on a precious child that I am supposed to love and protect.

If some people hit their spouse like they hit their child they would go to jail.

Your thoughts?

That was not a spanking, that was pure sadistic abuse!!

[Antipas]

I gave my kids an ultimatum at 8 years old. They could receive five strikes with the paddle/belt/hand, or they could hold the broom (a rather light plastic handled broom) straight out in front of them longways for 8 minutes. If they allowed it to significantly tilt, sink, let go of it, tried to support it with their head or knees, or dropped it - they had to start the 8 minutes over again. I then added 1 minute for every year of age after that.

Early on they gave in with tears at around 5 minutes and would request the whippin' in spite of my efforts to encourage them to keep holding the broom. Soon, it became something they struggled to attain often with surprising results. Sometimes they've succeeded. The groaning, screaming, sweating, and trying to keep that broom up and level reveals that it's a lot harder than it looks.

Try it yourselves. Take a light plastic broom and hold it straight out in front of you for 10 full minutes.