Update: California Bill Could Ban Spankingby Myra Turner | More from this Blogger 20 Jan 2007 06:10 AM How does Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger feel about the proposed bill banning spanking? On Thursday, he said he would keep an open mind concerning the ban, according to an article in Friday's , Monterey County Herald. He said he had concerns about how the bill would be enforced and also added that he understood the desire to ''get rid of the physical, the brutal behavior that some parents have.'' So far, the proposed bill has drawn criticism including the fact that Sally Lieber, who is sponsoring the bill, does not have kids herself. Potshots were taken at her on an online forum. One writer said that if this bill passes, then one where other parents could "smack" the parents of undisciplined children should also be passed. Schwarzenegger also said that what he wants to do is to find out exactly what Lieber "envisions" and how she plans to enforce the ban, if it becomes law. He also added that anytime you try to pass a law that protects kids, in general, "that's always good." Schwarzenegger remarked that in Austria where he grew up he was smacked "about everything". However, he wasn't bitter about his childhood. It simply was the way things were done in Austria at that time. He even recalled a time when his father hit him in front of other kids in his class after a parent-teacher conference. He said he didn't feel bad because other kids received similar punishment if they received a bad report. Does he spank his own kids? Nope-- "absolutely not". Lieber has said that she does not mind the criticism and believes that her proposal has triggered a much-needed debate. The bill will be introduced next week. I will definitely keep a close eye on this one; I'm interested to find out how things turn out. If the bill passes, other states may also follow with similar bills. See also: California Considers Banning Spanking Discipline Problems? All It Takes Is A SMILE Is Your Method Of Disciplining 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  Jim Serio (67) 16 Mar 2009 11:04 PMSpanking certainly can be overdone. However, all spanking is not child abuse. There is a place for spanking. Despite all the arguments for "appropriate non-physical discipline," the reality is that parents end up just yelling at kids which damages family relationships and can lead to disorders like anxiety and depression. As always, the best guide for how to live and parent is the Bible Mino (35) 02 Sep 2009 03:43 PMT Mino (35) 02 Sep 2009 03:53 PM"The letter of the law killeth, but the spirit giveth life" The Bible has been used to support witch burning, Inquisitions, Crusades, slavery, oppression of women, racism, etc. Child buttock-battering for the purpose of gaining compliance is nothing more than an inherited bad habit. Its a good idea for people to take a look at what they are doing, and learn how to DISCIPLINE instead of hit. I think the reason television shows like "Supernanny" and "Dr. Phil" are so popular is because that is precisely what many (not all) people are trying to do. There are several reasons why child buttock-battering isn't a good idea. Here are some good, quick reads recommended by professionals: Plain Talk About Spanking by Jordan Riak, The Sexual Dangers of Spanking Children by Tom Johnson, NO VITAL ORGANS THERE, So They Say by Lesli Taylor M.D. and Adah Maurer Ph.D. Mino (35) 02 Sep 2009 04:06 PMMost compelling of all reasons to abandon this worst of all bad habits is the fact that buttock-battering can be unintentional sexual abuse for some children. There is an abundance of educational resources available on the subject that can easily be found by doing a little research on "spanking". Just a handful of those helping to raise awareness of why child buttock-battering isn't a good idea: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center For Effective Discipline, PsycHealth Ltd Behavioral Health Professionals, Churches' Network For Non-Violence, Nobel Peace Prize recipient Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Parenting In Jesus' Footsteps, The LDS Church (see http://education.byu.edu/youcandothis/spanking.html for a succinct compilation) Global Initiative To End All Corporal Punishment of Children United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child In 26 countries, child buttock-battering is prohibited by law (with more in process). In fact, the US was the only UN member that did not ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The US also has the highest incarceration rate. The states within the US with the highest crime rates also have the highest rates of child corporal punishment. Community Tags banning spanking, behavior, spanking Discuss this article
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