SPANKING OR TIME OUT???

When I was a child growing up in the 1950's, spanking (not abusive spanking )was the accepted means of punishing a child for doing something really bad. Usually a spanking was the last resort. Oft time, all a parent had to do was threaten a child with a spanking or Dad would threaten to remove his belt or Mom would go for the hair brush...that was enough warning to behave pronto.

In my particular case, all I had to do was be given a certain look by my grandmother (who raised me) and I knew it was time to retreat. No threats, no raised voice, just a look would bring me under control. I can only remember one time I was actually taken over her knees and spanked (with her hands), but I have no idea what I did. There were many times I can remember throwing temper tantrums and not getting a spanking. My grandmother would tell me that tantrums were a healthy was of venting frustration for a child.

Then Dr. Spock came out with his book which changed the way a parent punished a child forever. He encouraged rewards for good behavior, taking away certain privileges for bad behavior, time outs, reasoning with the child, etc. I don't necessarily agree with his alternatives.

Nor do I recommend spanking in this day and age. Adults seem to have a shorter fuse and often need a way to work off their frustrations. When a child is disciplined by spanking under thess conditions, ity can be abusive to the child to say the least.

Rewarding sometimes defeats the concept of being good/doing good just for the sake of being good. Taking away privileges for bad behavior may not succeed for a long period of time...a child will find some alternative to those things removed.

Time outs can be effective at times. I remember one time my 4 year old granddaughter did something she knew she was not supposed to do and when he dad brought it to her attention, she just merely looked at him as she walked to her time-out bench and said, "I know, I know!! Time for the bench." I am not so sure if time-outs were meaningful to her.....they were more like a pattern of behavior.

Reasoning with a small child or a child who is having a major temper outbreak is not the least bit effective and makes the parents look a little foolish standing there.

I agree that sometimes a child needs to be spanked.....actually deserves it. Personally I do not think a slight tap on the butt is all that wrong....it is attention getting and once the parent had that child's attention, whatever other forms of discipline the parent may chose to use can be effectively used.

Now I am speaking generally as I NEVER had to discipline my kids........they were always so well-behaved and were a sheer delight. Of course they were disciplined! I agree, sometimes with the wrong means, but they all turned out to be respecting and an asset to the world. It is a shame that parenthood does not come with a manual or a set of directions.

ANSWER TO LAST TRIVIA QUESTION: Whose image first appeared on the cover of TV Guide? Lucille Ball and her baby
TODAY'S TRIVIA QUESTION: In 1952 Richard Nixon made a speech known as the “Checkers“ speech in answer to allegations against him. What or who was Checkers?
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Remember...a layer of dust protects the Wood beneath it.