If you are in favor of corporal punishment, do you believe that there is a certain age when parents should stop using this as a method of discipline?

Ppl still beat their kids with belts?

My mother used one on me as a small kid - my dad used his hand on my butt. I prefer just one good smack to the butt to emphasize that I am physically in control of an out of control kid, but don't really think I would use a belt on a kid. It just sounds like too formal a strategic punishment. I prefer tactical assertion.

My mother broke a wooden coat hanger over my thigh when I was 7 for what I know wasn't bad behavior on my part. She just ran out of patience trying to teach me how to tell time. It wasn't one of those big, heavy ones but it was big enough. Oh but sorry. The question was if you're in favor of corporal punishment.

Really depends on the kid but to throw out a random # I say by age 12 a hand on the backside has become pointless and is just the parent lashing out from anger and frustration.

My father hit me on the head with a broom stick when I was about 10 years old so I would never hit a kid with any object other than my hand. I say that at 11 or 12 it would stop and more mental punishment like no TV or up to the room, or grounding them would be more effective.

^^Sorry, Tony. I feel your pain. Literally.

alan smithee wrote:

^^Sorry, Tony. I feel your pain. Literally.

Thanks Al, my Dad was a monster but I think in some warped way his brutality made me into a better man because I would never want to be like him and I am not.

Some kids need it up until they're 25. I'll give you the belt up until you stop living in my house.

If I were in favor of this kind of punishment (which I'm not), I would say age 11 or 12. My Mom never used a belt on me, but she used to spank me up until the age of 5 and I remember the last time she did it she broke down in tears and said she'd never hit me again. And she never did. A great lady with a great conscience.

Tony Marino wrote:

alan smithee wrote:

^^Sorry, Tony. I feel your pain. Literally.

Thanks Al, my Dad was a monster but I think in some warped way his brutality made me into a better man because I would never want to be like him and I am not.

My mother was a nut so I understand what you're saying. I think in a situation like that one of two things happen. The behavior is repeated or the cycle is broken. For me, like you, I learned how to not treat people because of the way she behaved.

Age 0.

It's illegal most places to hit your child with an object these days.

I don't believe in spanking, but the general consensus amongst child development experts is that spanking should only be used from age 3-6 (if at all, most of them are against it all together). Before 3 they are too young to understand punishments like that, after age 6 they are old enough that you have to hit them too hard for it to be safe and have an impact on them.
After puberty it can be considered sexually abusive.

Again, I would never hit a child, ever.

My mom used whatever was in her hand when she got pissed at me...Including but not limited to: a hot curling iron, a belt, a wooden spoon (her fav because she said she couldn't hit you too hard with it because it would break before that happened), her shoe, a brush...

thepossiblepolice wrote:

My mom used whatever was in her hand when she got pissed at me...Including but not limited to: a hot curling iron, a belt, a wooden spoon (her fav because she said she couldn't hit you too hard with it because it would break before that happened), her shoe, a brush...

Yours & mine could have been BFF's.

I don't like "the belt" but I think by 7/8, spanking has outlived it's usefulness.

Forgiveness Man wrote:

I don't like "the belt" but I think by 7/8, spanking has outlived it's usefulness.

In another rare occurance, I agree!

Mostly (from a psychological standpoint) children typically reach the age of "reason" by around age 7 - 8, at which point much more effective forms of discipline can be used. You spank a 3 year old for trying to touch a hot plate or a 5 year old for trying to scale a dangerous high rail because they are incapable of reasoning and you want to scare the shit out of them to protect them from physical tangible danger! Parents who continue to employ corporal punishment past 8 (and certainly past 12) are LAZY and don't really want to "parent" so much as "dictate through intimidation and fear" for their convenience. It's definetely much easier to just beat your kid for lying to you, stealing from your wallet, comming home past 11 pm or getting suspended from school, than it is to actually try to solve the "problem" of why they felt like they had to do that in the first place.

As soon as they reach the age of knowing better than to do something to warrant them getting their butts whooped, and not doing it.

Violence breeds violence. There are better ways of disciplining a child than striking them. To hit a child means that you do not have any sense of self-control.

I think "12" is the median age most parents who use this method of discipline taper off of it. That was the last time my momma came at me with a strap. From then on it was punishments and restricted privileges.

Mar, your post was just a tad harsh....I like to think that for kids who are out of control, there are better methods.

Well, Mar, you had one thing work for you with a mom you still respect. Dont' get me wrong, I am not a "spare the rod" freak. I just feel that there is more than one way for things to work.

FYI, I am ***cough*** 34, and have a step daughter about to graduate from college. And I have rarely had to be hard on her, there have just been set rules, and she has mostly maintained...and I have been the most stern of her parents that include, of course her bio mom and dad, and her step dad and me