Spanking New!

Spanking children is now back in the news. A California representative wants to make spanking children illegal. DocBrain is sometimes appalled at how stupid some smart people are! DocBrain will now tell you about spanking (of course, we are not talking about consenting adults...that's a different issue).

The rationale for spanking

• Children are born as savages, with no knowledge or understanding of the rules of life or the rules of safety.
• It is the nature of living things and the duty of everyone, including children, to learn.
• There is no primary imperitive to teach. So, how wonderful it is to have someone willing to take the time and effort to teach you! All people who take the time and energy to teach children, including parents who are so inclined, are role models for the rest of us!
• In order to learn, the child must first pay attention.
• It requires the effort of the child's own will to focus his/her attention.
• When words alone do not allow you to get the attention of your child to instruct that child about something important, the use of a physical act (such as a brief smack on the rear) to get the child's attention, is not only reasonable, but, in some instances can be life saving or life changing. The amount of physical contact needed to get the child's attention can vary from child to child and may need to be individualized.
• Children who do not focus their attention with words or with physical triggers are probably impaired and should be taken as soon as possible to an expert for further assessment. If you have difficulty with more than one child or if nothing is found wrong with your child, guess what? The problem is you! Get some help on child-rearing and some personal counselling.
• Spanking out of anger with a desire to harm the child or for your own desires is almost always wrong.