I have never spanked my 12 or 14 year old. They are well behaved, kind, respectful children. It takes a little more effort to sit down and talk with a child than it does to whip out a belt or hand and whack them! If you think your child is disciplined because of being hit, you know nothing. It is merely acceptable behavior gained by fear and intimidation.

My kids are 8 & 11 and have never been spanked. They are extremely well behaved and respectful because that is what we model and that is what we get. We get compliments on their behavior from other people all of the time.

I will never understand people who think fear and pain is the best way to teach anyone - especially a toddler anything.

It's less stress on my nerves to "gently" spank my wife every now and then. Your doing something wrong if that's the only way you can get your childs attention

missircar, I am very glad to read your comment. I came back to this discussion because for the past couple of days, I have been thinking about and down right disgusted by the fact that more than 90% responding think hitting a child is healthy and necessary! For all of you that think there is a fine line, there is no line. You wouldn't hit your spouse. You would be thrown in jail. If you wouldn't hit a grown full size human, why in the world would you hit a 2 foot tall 30 lb. human? There is absolutely no difference. Hitting is hitting and you can go to the ends of the earth justifying why its OK. You think you are giving discipline from the actually hit, your not. Your child is reacting to the fear of an adult arm being raised up and coming down at their little body. Try this, get down on your knees so your the height of your child, have your spouse raise his or her arm and just pretend that your going to be hit. You will see what your child sees. Then stay down on your knees, look your child in the eye at their level and talk to them. They learn English by the time they are 2 or 3 for a reason. They can learn the language because they understand what you are saying. Simply before that age, there is of course no reasoning. All you have to do is redirect what they are doing. By the way, while your down on your knees speaking to your child, say a prayer that all the hitting you have already done won't come back to haunt you. Because when you watch your child turn into an adult and raise his or her hand to your grandchildren, it will haunt you.

just wanted to add, they are toddlers its not"lack of control" THEY ARE CHILDREN, hello!!!!!, and she was demonstrating how she spanked and now you are labeling her an abuser....i would love 10 minutes with your fox analyst please.....

You need to take a look at the original authors article. She says it is irrelevant about the number of kids under x age that she has. She was just relaying some of the Fox anaylsyst information in there that I think you misunderstood.

Anyway, on this topic, people need to just relax. I'm about to become a new dad and I know that I'm going to have to be "fearful" of getting some wacko child abuse charge if I happen to dole out any type of punishment in public. I don't even think there is a fine line between a spanking and abuse. Abuse is a very clear case. If you get the occasional spanking for doing something bad, then that is fine, but if you are getting spanked every day because you forgot to do a chore, that is another (very clear) line. I think that last real spanking I got was when I changed grades on a mid week report in junior high. Then, I lied about it and I said some bad things in the process. After that spanking, I certainly didn't every do it again and I cleaned up my act too.

I agree with you. I have not yet seen a kid that did not need there buts spanked. I am 42 years old and have 3 teen teenagers 19, 17 and 15 and I spanked their butts when they needed it,andstill will if they need it. I have 3 step grandkids 8,5, and 16 months and when I keep them if they need a spanking I will give it to them. I do not believe in brusing, but I do believe in a spanking. My parnets spanked me and it did not kill me so It is not going to kill my kids or grandkids to get a spanking. If the welfare and government will stay out of how parnets raise there children you would here so much about gang violence, school shootings and kids in jail. I HOPE THEY WIN THEIR LAWSUIT AND SHOW THE CITY THEY MEAN BUSINESS. We will pray they do win.
Tammy, Mississippi

So don't read it and don't comment.

I so agree!

I used to work in a suburb outside of Cleveland. In one of the high schools there, the guidance counselor put up signs that said:

Students, did your parents take away your cell phone? computer? game system? or ground you and not let you go to the mall?

THIS IS CHILD ABUSE and should be reported immediately!

Last time I checked, these were privileges that could be given or taken away based on behavior. But now you have school systems telling the kids it is abuse and their parents should be reported to Children and Family services.

So I ask you, if I cannot spank my child because you say it is abuse and I cannot ground my child because I say it is abuse, then who takes responsibility when my child learns that there are NO consequences for their actions? You? Society? Because it will not be me since I have been effectively prevented from teaching cause and effect to my child through any form of discipline.

Welcome to the discussion, Megan. If you'd like to start a new discussion of ridiculous things you've seen in education, be my guest. I believe the topic at hand was physically assaulting children and claiming it's a teaching method.

If you'd like to stand up and tell the world: I physically assault my children and I feel fine about that, be my guest.

When you do that, I'll stand up beside you and tell the world that I think you are a lazy and abusive parent.

Thanks for playing the game! Any more red herrings you'd like me to address instead of discussing the actual topic?