I am taking psych online and the question that is the topic of discussion this week is whether or not to spank. I think we have already had this discussion here so I dont think we need to do it again, unless somebody wants to send it to the kitchen table.

But the question got me wondering.... Do you spank your kids more, the same, or less than you were spanked as a kid? Has the climate of no spanking made a difference in if a child gets spanked.

Personally I would say I was spanked alot more than my kids.

Just curious...

By Juli4 on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 05:35 pm:

I was not spanked a whole lot, but when I was it was memorable. I would say that generally children are spanked less than they were. My in laws and grandparents seem to think that spanking is the only form of punishment so I know they spanked more. I also think that it is ineffective after age 7 or 8.

By Kaye on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 05:53 pm:

LOL...i am taking pscyh online too and we had a very similar question last week! What class are you taking? Doesn't happen to be from a tx school does it? I am in lifespan psych, using a text from berger.

I spank MUCH less.

By Missmudd on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 06:15 pm:

How funny I think we are using the same text lol... Is it the developing person throughout the lifespan? My class is psy237 through the local community college here in oregon. Did you have a question on drinking and drug use during pregnancy? If so we are not only taking the same class but the instructors are using the same info.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 06:29 pm:

WAAAAAAAY LESSS, like hardly ever! My mom definitely spanked my sisters and me. I didn't think it was particularly pleasant, so have hardly ever spanked my kids.

By Missbookworm on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 07:08 pm:

I have a strict no spanking rule in my house. Hitting of any type. I come from a past relationship in which their was a lot of abuse and so have implemented that rule. I NEVER spank and don't allow my kids to hit each other for any reason. If I say don't hit...then I spank I feel that I'm going against what I tell them to not do...to me they're close enough to being the same.

As for my parents...well I only grew up with one and she often took spanking to the extreme so that influences my decision too.

By Karen~moderator on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 07:51 pm:

I spanked MUCH less! My dad was just abusive with his belt when we were kids. My mom spanked us with those rubber flip-flops. That stuff HURT!

I only spanked my kids a very few times anyway, and I used the palm of my hand.

I agree that the older a child is, the less effective spanking is, in fact I believe that spanking a 10 y/o is just teaching that child to handle situations physically. There's a huge difference in spanking a 2 or 3 or 4 y/o, and in spanking a 10 or 12 y/o. Older kids can be reasoned with and punished in other ways, i.e. removal of privileges, and that is much more effective for them. If you are being physical with an older child, there's a darn good chance that child is going to hit back.

I did - when I was 10. My dad was literally chasing me with his belt, and I was cornered in the closet where I ran to get away from him. I fought back. He never spanked me again.

By Reds9298 on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 08:18 pm:

I was spanked ALL the time it seems, but then again I was very ornery! Always with a belt, always on the butt. It wasn't an abusive thing at all. My dd is only 16mths. and has never been spanked, but we plan for her to be spanked MUCH less than we were, if at all.

By Heaventree on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 09:02 pm:

I was spanked.

We don't spank now nor will we ever.

By Pamt on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 09:24 pm:

I don't spank at all, so I will vote LESS. However, I wasn't really ever spanked. If my parents just said my name in a disappointing tone I would burst into tears and run into my room. They did spank---my brother and sister got more than I did though.

By Melanie on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 09:57 pm:

I only remember being spanked once. Since we don't spank at all, less.

By Kernkate on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 11:53 pm:

I was probably only spanked once or twice in my life..so I would have to say less as I haven't spanked my kids yet. But my DD who is 5 is coming real close to a spanking....LOL She is a handful!
Boys are so much easier!!!IMO

By Marcia on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 12:13 am:

Probably about the same. I can remember just being spanked on rare occasions, and I can remember knowing I deserved it even then. I don't think I was ever spanked with anything other than a hand.
Karen, my mom did smack me once when I was a teen, and I can remember swinging back! That was the last time she did it, for sure. I'm not saying I even hit her, but I think she realized it wasn't effective because I did defend myself.

By Nicki on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 01:56 am:

Much, much less. I will never spank my daughter. Physical punishment was a big part of my up bringing.

By Colette on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 05:07 am:

Less. I don't spank.

By Hlgmom on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 09:30 am:

We do not and will not spank...so less here. I was spanked some. Dh never!

By Coopaveryben on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 09:38 am:

I have never had a spanking in my life. I was easy to discipline, my brothers got spankings but I don't remember them since I am 3 and 6 years younger by time I got old enough to remember they weren't getting them anymore. I promised I would never spank, then I had a strong willed son and when he was about 3 we exhausted every other discipline possibility with no luck then we started spanking, it worked for him. So the answer would be more. The oldest is 7 now and too old to spank because there are so many other things that work for him.

By Mommmie on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 10:54 am:

I don't remember being spanked, but I know my brother was spanked with a belt a few times. My brother was HORRIBLE.

I spanked my son up until he was 4 or so and only for major things. It was the only thing he responded to until we could have conversations. By 6 he responded to having his electronics taking away so if conversation doesn't change his behavior, then I start unplugging.

By Bemerry84 on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 11:16 am:

About the same and it is used as a last resort. I too have a strong willed child that doesn't always respond to conversations but when threaten with the spatula he immediately straightens up.

By Debbie on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 11:41 am:

About the same. My parents hardly spanked me and I rarely spanked my ds's when they were little.

By Trina~moderator on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 12:52 pm:

MUCH LESS. DH and I don't spank. We were both spanked and slapped a lot as children.

By Tklinreston on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 01:25 pm:

I haven't spanked yet and hope I never will. So, I would have to say LESS. I was spanked, however. Not frequently by any means - just when I did something VERY bad.

By Yjja123 on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 02:35 pm:

We do not spank. We were both spanked as children.

By Breann on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 06:50 pm:

More. I only remember being spanked once. DH was spanked with a belt a lot.

I spank with my hand. Not repeatedly, but I have done it several times. So, I have to say more because I was only spanked once.

By Cocoabutter on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 08:09 pm:

More. Ds has been very naughty and obstinate, but I don't have to spank him much anymore.

I do most of the discpline since dh was abused when he was young, and the potential for him repeating the cycle has always frightened me. However, he has done very well. He just gets very annoyed with ds sometimes.

By Insaneusmcwife on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 06:59 am:

I'd have to honeslty say that I have never spanked my parents, lol. But really, that would depend on which house we were talking about. At my dads house, I was never spanked. He doesn't believe in it and gets very upset when I have to spank mine. At my moms house well that was a different story, and we won't get into what we were hit with. I don't tend to spank mine very often. Ds is too old I think, there are other effective ways to get though to him. Extra chores, loss of priveledges. As for dd, I usually do a lot of yelling and the spanking is not so much. She will very seldom get a swat on her butt and she's got to really work my nerves to get that.