MalloryKeaton

http://www.click2houston.com/family/3882627/detail.html

British Mums And Dads Can Still Spank Their Kids

POSTED: 9:48 am EST November 2, 2004
UPDATED: 2:14 pm EST November 2, 2004

LONDON -- British lawmakers are rejecting an effort to outlaw spanking.

They've voted overwhelmingly against a measure that would have made it illegal for parents to spank their children.

The issue sparked a passionate debate in the House of Commons. Some lawmakers say children deserve the same legal protection as adults against being hit. But Prime Minister Tony Blair's government didn't want to be accused of intruding in family issues, and discouraged an outright ban.

They preserved an 1860 court ruling that allows parents to use "reasonable chastisement."

Two parliamentary committees contended that's used too often to defend violent behavior that goes beyond a smack. A number of members of the ruling Labor Party called for any form of physical punishment to be outlawed.

Lawmakers are also considering a measure that makes it easier to prosecute parents who inflict physical or mental abuse.

Several other European countries already consider physical punishment of children illegal.

Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved

I'm Not Your Boy Toy

i honestly dont think spanking is all that bad

nutty_maddie

I don't think so either. It's this bi deal about nothing.

*Juli*

My parents spanked me. If I got a smack on the ass, I deserved it and I tell you I didn't do it again

mh67511

Same here. There is a difference between spanking and child abuse though; some people just wan to lump the two together. Spanking your child for not eating their vegetables is stupid; spanking them for mouthing off and hitting their siblings or something, is fine if you ask me.

I'm Not Your Boy Toy

people who view spankin as abuse are the usual extremists. i hate extremists they ruin everyones fun

TheAngel

I got spanked when I was a kid...I'm not too damaged.

meretwins

i was spanked as a kid and i deserved it 'cause i was a bad ass...there is a big difference between abusing your child and discipline....sadly some folks can't make the distinction between the two...

not every child needs to be spanked and some really do need to have some sense knocked into them...it depends greatly upon the parenting goals etc. regarding what they think is right...i think if some of the kids today had parents who did discipline them via spanking or using some other non physical means than they wouldn't be such *****s they are today....

Milt Palacio

I got spanked a few times as a kid and slapped in the face a few times as well. No big deal. I'm not against spanking.

JohannafromIHJ

Getting spanked as a kid scared me. It didn't leave bruises and stuff, but I got scared every time. My mother never did it, it was always my dad, and to this day I feel a lot more comfortable with my mother than I do with my father. If I have kids, I don't want them to be scared, especially not when they're with me and in our home.

Maybe people react differently to spanking, but it did nothing whatsoever to discipline me. When I got older I started getting really resentful about it too. Here's a warning to parents who spank: pray that your kid isn't like me, because I dipped my father's toothbrush in the loo so many times as revenge, it's a miracle he never got sick. He never found out about it either.

MalloryKeaton

Do you mean you think it's fun to spank children? No offense, but that's sick. Anyone who gets enjoyment from inflcting pain on a child is sick.

AuburnGrad

Spanking did nothing in regards to discipline for me, either. My experience sounds different from yours though. I'm relatively close to my mother (the spanker), so it had no lasting effects of resentment that I can see. I was spanked several times as a child, and while it was frightening at the time, I much preferred it to grounding. It was quick and the pain was fleeting...grounding lasted much longer and was agony for me.

Mio

I too was spanked, but I won't do it. Too many kids now a days who were spanked are turning out too violent (I'm studying this in Psychology). Why use violence to correct a behavior?

The Happy Psycho

Lets see, I got spanked by my mom, my grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc...

Yeah, I preferred a spanking to being grounded too. As far as that went I don't have any negative feelings towards any relatives who disciplined me, I deserved all of it.

Milt Palacio

Nasty!

Honestly I think spanking did discipline me as a kid. My dad did it and I never resented him for it. But I guess it's different for everyone. It was better to get spanked and get it over with than be punished and have it go on for days.