It’s ok to spank your kids now…

December 14, 2007 at 4:05 pm | In Christianity | 6 Comments
Tags: ateasetees, authority, Christian, discipline, evangelism, God, Jesus, spank kids

The American College of Pediatricians has recently put out a statement about their position on spanking children. They agree that spanking is ok to use if used properly. All of this comes in light of the state of Massachusetts looking at banning that form of discipline and the UN trying to get countries to ban it as well.

One pediatrician said “that spanking is most appropriate for children 2 to 6 years old when other milder forms of discipline don’t work” and should be rarely used after the age of 10. The ACP has made a handout the goes over their guidelines for spanking kids. It also gives other, milder forms (about 4) of discipline that should be used before spanking.

I just want to start by saying two things:

First, if your kids are not listening to you, WHOOP ‘EM!

Second, I really don’t think that discipline is the whole problem…

Before I go on, let me say that I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, in favor of beating your kids. I do think that a lot of people can get out of hand with whooping their kids, but these people have other problems that they need to deal with…

I think that this is one issue that has helped to bring about the condition of our kids today. Would all of these shootings be happening if the kids had gotten whooped when they were little? Would there be as much promiscuity and sexual immorality among our teens and pre-teens today if they were getting whooped? I doubt it.

The Bible says, in Proverbs 13:24, “He who withholds the rod hates his son, but he that loves his son disciplines him diligently”. If you’re not spanking your kids, according to scripture, you hate your son…

First of all, if you disagree with whooping your kids, then that is up to you. But I know from experience that it is going to be more difficult for you the older your kids get. If you don’t spank your kids because you want them to know that you love them or you want to be your friend, then you are mistaken. Spanking your kids will let them know that you love them, even if it doesn’t seem like it at that moment.

I truly think that a lack of discipline is part of the reason that younger generations are the way they are. But, as I said above, I think that that is only part of the problem. I think another HUGE part of the problem is the lack of follow through by parents who threaten to spank their kids. I was in the library last week and I heard this one woman threaten to spank her son about 12 times. Did he stop doing what he was doing? Nope. Why not? Because he knew that his mom wasn’t serious. He knew that it was an empty threat.

ACP or not, I will spank my child. Because I started when she was little, and because I kept my word and followed through, I have a loving, respectable, obedient daughter who knows that I only want the best for her.

I thought that I would list some things that I’ve noticed just from my experiences with my daughter. If they help you, great. If not, that’s fine too.

1) Start disciplining young. If you wait until your child is three or four to discipline them, then you are already behind and it will be hard for you to make up for it.

2) Don’t be afraid to spank them, but know your strength. When they are little, you want to do it more to get their attention and remind them that they are not the boss. As they get older, you will do it more to remind them and punish them.

3) Don’t go on and on about how you’re going to spank them if they don’t stop doing what they’re doing. If you threaten to spank them and they continue doing what they’re doing, then whoop them.

4) When you do whoop them, make sure that you give them time to pout, get mad, or go and hide if they need it. But, after about 5 or 10 minutes of that, go find them, sit them down, and explain to them why you did what you did and tell them that you love them. If possible, try to do something together afterward to reinforce the truth of your love for them.

5) If you count, don’t go past three, and don’t use fractions or anything. Give them until three and then follow through…

6) You and your spouse need to be on the same page so that your child can’t run to the other and get out of the disciplining. You both need to be firm and mean what you say.

Like I said, these are just things that I’ve noticed. Take them or leave them, but understand that your kids need consistent, diligent discipline and that they will be better for it. If you are a Christian, then disciplining your kids will also help them to understand what is going on when God needs to discipline them and it won’t hamper their view of Him. In fact, it will strengthen it because they know that He loves them.

6 Comments »

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People like you shouldn’t be allowed to reproduce. If you haven’t had kids yet, please desist. There are already enough people in the world, and reproduction should only be a privilege of those willing to take the precious and worthy time for loving and raising our kids without recurring to savage, uncivilized, and simply moron-recommended methods of teaching.

Moron.

Comment by chris — April 20, 2008 #

Reply
Chris,

Thank you so much for your response. Unfortunately, in your short comment I failed to find your solution to raising children and instead only found personal attacks from someone I feel very safe to say has no clue who I am. The fact that you read my blog and disagree is fine. I have no problem with that. But instead of attacking me and offering no other solution, I would be interested in seeing how you propose to raise children without discipline. You say that having kids is a privilege and I definitely agree. My daughter turns 9 next week and she has been a blessing from God.

The response that you gave lacks many things, and from your response I would assume that you’re not a Christian. If you were, you might understand my point of view better. Because you don’t, the only thing that you have left is to make personal attacks and name call…

As I said above, I would love to hear your solution, but not as a replacement for mine. I have chosen to raise my daughter according to scripture and God has done wondrous things for both of us. I wouldn’t raise her any other way…

God Bless

Comment by ateasetees — April 20, 2008 #

Reply
Amen! I totally agree with the first lady…your children def. need to be disciplined and you need to start yound and as the woman explained, you do need to know your own strength as well….but if yo tell your kid twenty times, stop or I’ll spank you…and you don’t follow trough on it do you really think that your kids are actually ever going to stop or actually have a reason to listen to you…c`mon people get with reality and realize that disciplining your children is a part of life…if you don’t discipline your child…then your child is prolly the kid I saw on tv last night being chased by the police as the kid was running down the street shooting people…and why…because his mother and or father prolly didn’t give him the discipline that he needs or needed.

God Bless you All!

Comment by phil — June 4, 2009 #

Reply
I have one daughter and although I agree with spanking as discipline, I have never had to spank my daughter who is now 12 years old. She has always been a good kid. Maybe because I am around to actually “parent” har and I never placed her in front of the television set to have it babysit her. I never left the room, leaving her alone for long periods of time while she toddled around the house to get into things. My house was never “child-proofed” and I didn’t have a problem. Perhaps because I was a parent and not some stranger who was gone all day at work.
I believe in the Stay at home mom and that is where mothers belong so they can take care of their kids and teach them right to begin with.
(she also never went to daycare. . ..hmmm. . . I see a pattern already)

Comment by quiarrah — August 11, 2009 #

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- Thanks for the response! I definitely agree with a lot of what you’ve said. I think that many women have been sold a lie when it comes to being a stay at home mom. They’ve been lured away from what God designed them to be by the promise of liberty and power in being a working woman and end up missing out on all of the joys that come with raising children. My daughter hasn’t been spanked in years and I firmly believe that it’s because she’s saved and fears God, she has parents (one mom and two dads) who look out for her and treat her lovingly, and because we’ve been there to guide and direct her. Her mom stays at home and homeschools her and her sisters and it shows. They are a great testimony!
  
  Thanks again for the comment!
  
  Comment by ateasetees — August 11, 2009 #
  
  Reply
Sometimes you have to spank your kids. I was spanked and I believe
I am a better person for it. I don’t hate my parents for spanking me,
and I don’t feel like I was an abused child. I never spank more than 3 hits, always on the butt and never with a belt. (hand only) and it seems
to straighten my boy who is 3 now up quick. I don’t do it often, but when I do it’s because he truly needs it and won’t listen to reason.
Empty threats will work just the opposite of what your trying to accomplish. So if you count to 3 and there still not obeying. Get to whopping that butt! Period.

Comment by jeff — October 23, 2009 #

Reply