My Controversial Thought of the Day – Spanking

I'm too cute to ever do anything wrong.

Like most toddlers and children in general mine is not always good.  In fact we are in full swing of the terrible twos and let me tell you they are…  Well, terrible.  She’s hit the point of testing us constantly.  We tell her not to fool with the DVD’s and she’s taking them off and out of their cases the second we turn around.  How many times do you tell a child no before you move onto rougher measures?  And what are those?  How do you time out a two year old?  She doesn’t understand the consequences of what she’s done, so she doesn’t know what a time out is.  She can’t sit still long enough in one place to have the time out.

So, here comes the spanking.  It’s what I’m told I should do.  It’s the right thing.  Otherwise she’ll never learn disciple.  But honestly, I don’t believe in spanking.  I think it only teaches that hitting is okay.  I don’t see how her little 2 year old brain could possibly make the connection that yes this hurts and it’s all because I’m not leaving the DVD’s alone.  This is a new age and spanking isn’t exactly a widely accepted form of discipline anymore.  And I’m not sure that I accept it either.  I just don’t see the reasoning behind it working.

So here comes the really controversial part of it.  Here’s why else I don’t exactly agree with spanking.  Why is okay to spank but not to hit?  Where is the line? What is the different?  What’s the difference between my taking my open hand to my 2 year olds bottom, smacking her on the shoulder or even worse, her face?  Why is the face so much worse?  Is it because everyone can see your shame?  

Do you spank?  How do you feel about it?

And in case you’re wondering, yes I have spanked my daughter and to tell you the truth I think it was about as effective as grounding her would be.  Both make her cry and she doesn’t understand either.