California Considers Banning Spankingby Myra Turner | More from this Blogger 18 Jan 2007 09:29 PM California spankers beware, you may have to pay a fine or face jail time for spanking your kids. The state Legislature is seeking to outlaw spanking kids under the age of 3. Assemblywoman Sally Lieber of Mountain View, sponsored the bill. If it passes, California will become the first state to ban parents from spanking their kids. The bill is still being drafted and will be written in broad terms but will be written to prohibit "any striking of a child, any corporal punishment, smacking, hitting or punching". The offense would be considered a misdemeanor and a parent could face up to a year in jail or pay a fine of up to $1,000. However, first time offenders will probably only have to attend parenting classes. If this bill passes it is sure to become a hotbed issue. Many feel it won't pass, however, and point out that even on the slim chance that it does, there's no way to effectively enforce it. If it occurs in public that's one thing, but a parent who spanks their child in the privacy of their own home, well there's no way of monitoring what a parent does at home. Unless of course the state places video surveillance equipment in each and every house in California. Although this may seem strange to use, more than 10 European countries already have bans on spanking. To spank or not to spank, is one of those issues that probably won't ever have everyone on the same page. Both sides are passionate about their reasons for spanking or not spanking. It's like the breast vs. bottle debate; it's a matter of choice. I was spanked as a child and I turned out okay. I spank Tyler when necessary and I don't think anyone has a right to dictate if I should spank my child. Does spanking make me a bad parent? I think not. What some parents do is take spanking too far and end up abusing their kids. That's a whole different issue. But I think the majority of parents who use spanking as a disciplinary technique aren't abusers. Tell me, would you support a ban on spanking in your state? See also: To Smack Or Not To Smack? What is The Answer? Is Your Method of Discipline Working? Learn more about Myra Turner  I'm a proud mid-life single mom with an active seven-year-old son, Tyler. Relevantparenting tags User Comments  Andrea Hermitt (5472) 18 Jan 2007 09:13 PM...and then they'll complain that the parents haven't disciplined their kids.  Julie Gentry (5915) 19 Jan 2007 03:03 AM"I spank Tyler when necessary and I don't think anyone has a right to dictate if I should spank my child. " That's the crux right there. Whether I agree with how you're raising him or not, I don't have the right to tell you that you MUST do it my way. Scary thought, though, eh?  Valorie Delp (49340) 19 Jan 2007 05:13 AMIt's sad to me. This is a waste of tax payers dollars. Why can't they put it into funding social services so that they can better protect kids who are actually being abused??? Meltowne (1120) 19 Jan 2007 08:55 AMWhile I understand the concern for younger children- and that's what this is aimed at - I still don't like legislating morality. The resources being wasted on trying to pass this bill would be better spent working with families who abuse their kids - of ANY age. One one had, if this passes, I can see it as a foot in the door, and next thing you know they're saying why stop at 3, you can't spank a 5 year old, and cream the age up until you can't spank at all. But in all honesty, there are some children where that's the only thing that works - or at least the threat of a spanking. Sure, it hurts. It's supposed to hurt. But there is no lasting damage if done properly. The other problem I have with it is the arbitrary age. For some children a spanking is the most effective punishment, and when it is, the age it becomes effective varies. With my children, the prospect of a single public swat on the butt is far more effective than any other punishment. With 3 kids, most other punishments would involve punishing the others for one's bad behavior. And my children are small for their age. Would I be required to carry my youngest's passport to prove she's over 3? What about the child who is big for his age? He can be spanked because nobody thinks he's that young? When I swatted DD's butt in a store last november, and older grandmotherly woman told me "that's child abuse." I told her otherwise, and offered her my cell phone to call Child Protective Services. She really didn't know how to react, probably because she knew I was right. CPS has for more serious troubles to deal with than a child being admonished for crawling under the clothing racks - an 8 year old no less. The people who want to dictate how we discipline our kids are the same ones who then wonder why kids are so poorly behaved. The answer is to teach parents the difference between disciplining and abusing, and the reality is that this type of law won't do anything about abuse, because people who abuse their kids aren't going to care. Sherry Holetzky (11404) 19 Jan 2007 12:51 PMEveryone is making good points. Let's also note that the language compares spanking -or puts in on the same level as- striking, hitting, and punching. That villifies parents... loving parents "swat" rather than strike and they certainly don't punch! CPS is bogged down by over-reporting the way it is due to mandated reporting laws that have people calling in every scraped knee. If every swat to the bottom is hotlined now too, how are the children in truly dire situations ever going to get help? Enough with the nanny-state garbage. The state has no business promoting or proscribing parenting styles, and should only get involved in cases of true maltreatment. fimp88 (25) 17 Sep 2008 02:04 PMI understand the concern to protect children, but I don't think this is the right way to go about it. Personally, I don't think a quick swat on the behind is child abuse. In general, we spank our children very rarely and I think other discipline techniques are more effective usually, but I don't think this is something that should be governed by law. Child abuse should be illegal; the occasional spank should not. How would this be enforced? What becomes illegal next...timeouts? There is a really great debate about spanking at www.opposingviews.com/questions/is-spanking-an-acceptable-form-of-discipline Experts from both sides weigh in and make some good points...excellent read on the topic! Thanks for your post. Community Tags banning spanking, making spanking illegal, spanking Discuss this article
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