Spanking the Kids

[Lurker]

I am having a hard time deciding if the show is real liberal or it is making fun of liberals.

Younger kids should be spanked if they deserve it. But kids the age of the ones in this show are way past spanking.

The show does bring up a good point. If the parants have no way of punishing the kids, how can they possibly have any control?

And don't get me started about time outs!!! That is not a punishment.

[Ojuice5001]

Originally Posted by Lurker

I am having a hard time deciding if the show is real liberal or it is making fun of liberals.

I'd have to go with saying it's both.

Younger kids should be spanked if they deserve it. But kids the age of the ones in this show are way past spanking.

The evidence doesn't suggest that there are any long-term benefits from a parenting style that includes spanking. Really, I don't think most parents understand the psychology of punishment well enough that they have any business administering spankings. I guess Dave proved that last night, huh?

The show does bring up a good point. If the parants have no way of punishing the kids, how can they possibly have any control?

Certainly that is a problem. One answer might be that it's all right for parents not to have control of their kids, that Hillary can dress in skimpy outfits and Mike stay up late while their father is reduced to merely giving advice. Another answer would be that some kind of coercive controls on the father's part are acceptable.

Of course, our society can't decide which of these philosophies, if either, it believes in. If the role of parents is to give their kids advice, then we need better ways of ensuring that the kids take that advice seriously (certainly what we have now isn't good enough). On the other hand, if it's good for parents to take a more disciplinary role, then we probably need better ideas of what kinds of discipline are a good idea.

And don't get me started about time outs!!! That is not a punishment.

Well, in the old-style authoritarian family, a time out often meant more than just being sent to your room. It was likely to mean the kid standing in some uncomfortable position, or getting nothing to eat for the rest of the day. Punishments get milder as time goes on; just like spankings themselves went from blows with a belt or cane, to the milder slaps on the butt. You have to pay attention to that historical perspective.

And don't forget that if we're talking about something along the lines of two kids who are angry enough at each other to come to blows, then a time out is very effective at getting them to calm down. It's valuable for that reason even though it's not a "punishment."

[Lurker]

To be honest, I dont have any kids. But I have seen the difference between kids raised with discipline and those who are raised without it.

I am really worried that all the new grown ups that are starting to take contol of life (20 to 30 years old) are those who are more likely to have been raised the "no discipline" way. I am afraid that these new adults are getting jobs, getting into politics etc. This is the start of the decline of civilization. These new adults think the world revolves around them and there are no consequenses for thier actions.

but I hope to be proved wrong.

[lockdown06]

I was laughing at this.....I wish it was only "spankings" i remember when i was about 7 the babysitter spanked me and i laughed....lets say when you were like me you got immune quick.

[livsforluv]

mutual respect warrants control and a much lower need to use it.

[coffield3]

This show sucks really it does!!

[friendsfan77]

Originally Posted by Ojuice5001

The evidence doesn't suggest that there are any long-term benefits from a parenting style that includes spanking. Really, I don't think most parents understand the psychology of punishment well enough that they have any business administering spankings. I guess Dave proved that last night, huh?

Exactly. I would say that if a parent wants to consider this method of punishment, they need to make sure they really know what they're getting into. They really shouldn't realize that it's too much for them after the fact.