Is Spanking Still an Acceptable Discipline Practice?

One of the debates that rages almost constantly is spanking as a discipline practice. Despite what "experts" have said about spanking being dangerous to children, a vast majority of parents using spanking in discipline. Indeed, even though many people say it is a barbaric and outdated form of punishment, in practice the modern view of discipline still encompasses spanking. Parenting.com offers these spanking statistics:

*74 percent of mothers say that spanking is acceptable discipline for kids aged one to three.
*94 percent of three and four year olds have had a spanking at least one time during the past year.
*61 percent of parents view spanking as acceptable as a regular form of punishment for young children.

Clearly the modern view of discipline still includes spanking.

What is spanking?

Part of the debate about whether spanking is still OK centers on a definition of what spanking is. Few people agree. The dictionary definition is that it is using an open hand to strike or swat a child on the buttocks. The American Academy of Pediatrics makes it clear in its definition of spanking that it is discipline technique, and should not be used to cause physical injury. Theoretically, spanking should not raise bruises or welts. It's supposed to get a child's attention.

Spanking before the age of four

Most modern parents, even those who advocate that spanking is still OK, believe that as a child gets older, spanking is not longer an appropriate form of discipline. Many parents agree that spanking should stop when the child is somewhere between four and six. The idea is that a young child does not have reason capabilities, and does not respond to lectures. The modern view of discipline by many parents is that spanking is OK if the child is young, and doesn't learn to behave appropriately without immediate and felt consequences. The general consensus is that when children get older, spanking should cease.

Spanking as a last resort of discipline

Even though most parents agree that spanking is an acceptable form of regular discipline for young children, most say that they only spank as a last resort. When timeouts and distraction fail to satisfactorily modify a child's behavior, many parents say that they finally have to turn to spanking. But most agree that one or two swats is all that is acceptable. The modern view of discipline by most parents is that spanking should be done with the open hand, on the behind, and not with a belt or a wooden spoon.

When spanking is unacceptable as discipline

While there are always exceptions, most parents today feel that spanking is still OK only under very specific circumstances -- when nothing else seems to be working. And it is almost universally agreed that children over the age of five or six should not be spanked as a form of discipline. However, there are some parents who spank even their teenage children. Most parents, however, frown on this as an outdated and barbaric practice, insisting that modern discipline include other forms of consequences (such as revoked privileges) rather than spanking for older children.

The what the "experts" say about modern discipline

Most child behavior experts say that spanking is never acceptable in modern discipline. They insist that spanking is never OK, since it can disturb children and harm them emotionally. Additionally, many experts point out that spanking as discipline teaches children that the way to solve problems and change behavior is through violence. There is probably some merit in these claims.

However, the modern view of discipline for many parents is this: "My parents spanked me on occasion, and I turned out OK. So spanking must still be OK under certain circumstances."