You cannot spank me!
what does "avoid" mean? Saving it for exceptional misbehavior? Sure. remove it entirely from the pedagogical armementarium? Don't think so.
Kids are all different- some respond to gentle persuasion, others require a bit more vigorous intervention.
I agree. When an adult's hand "connects" with a misbehaving child's bottom, this is a good thing.
His dad was my doctor.
And this, my friends, is why the much of the Baby Boom generation grew up to be such self-absorbed spoiled brats, and damn near ruined this country - because their parents followed the rearing advice of one Dr. Spock, who spouted pretty much the same psychobabble.
I have a three year old daughter. When she needs it, she gets a spanking, it gets her attention real quick and she learns that she can't continue to do what she was doing wrong. Talking to her, or "connecting", as this fool wants, won't get through to her; she's only three. She doesn't have the capacity to rationalize like this idiot thinks she does. As a parent, I hate doing this - no one wants to cause their child pain. But a little sore bottom now can save the child and their family a lot of pain in the future. This guy is a moron, and most of my fellow Gen-X parents that I know are raising our kids in a totally different fashion than our parents - with rules, regulations, and discipline, because we know that to not discipline your child is to really not love them.
I still honor and adore my father and hope I can do half as well with my own kids.
You cannot spank me!
I don't believe my wife and I ever spanked any of our children more than two or three times. In each instance it was at most a one-or-three swat thing, delivered on a well-diapered behind, and made more noise than anything else. But it startled them and got their attention pronto. We have powerful bonds with our kids. They are well-behaved, cheerful, well-adjusted, successful, and conservative.
But none of our children was stubborn or had a rebellious streak from birth. My wife and I are blessed for that. I know other parents who were not so fortunate. Discipline for such a child is a whole different ball game.
The fact is that "experts" like Ravenel are one major rason why people do not know how to be a parent. Americans have come to rely on these idiot "experts" for advice on how to raise children - big mistake! These "experts" don't know manure from apple butter; and now thanks to these expert psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists (pseudo-sciences), as well as the juvenile justice system, television (as a baby sitter), and tyranical and amoral public schools, most Americans are no longer capable of being a good parent. They have abrogated their responsibilities. Today's parents were yesterday's mis-parented children! You can't pass on to your children what you don't have in the first place!
Uhhh...say what? What's that scripture..."A brother is born for adversity."
It takes a lot of patience to raise a kid without spanking, but I believe that the results are worth the extra effort.
WRONG, Dr. Alexander---your premise of "I think" is WRONG--you did not think! You daydreamed up some bilgewater liberal idea and regurgitated it to write a book.
...""Parents are spending less and less time with the children and often have turned to drugging the children to control their behavior," Alexander said"....
Well, DUH, Dr. Alexander--this idea certainly wasn't initiated nor enforced by parents at large--another liberal concept from head shrinkers such as yourself.
..."They don't provide the time, affection and love the children need. There is a basic need for that -- a concerned, close, affectionate, trusting relationship with parents. And you can't do that by hurting, by control, by rules, regulations and threats," he said"....
There are many parents who do not provide for their childrens' emotional needs--could a part of the problem be with fedgov's assertion of nannystate do all/be all/end all have anything to do with this crisis? Fedgov's nannystate where two parents aren't important to the health and well-being of children?
And finally, Dr. Alexander, you are simply full of shit if you think that 'hurting, control, rules, and regulations, and threats' aren't an important factor in child rearing......take your 'if it feels good, just do it attitude' and shove it--YOU ARE A BIG PART OF THE PROBLEM!