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From: canopus@amdahl.UUCP (Flaming Asteroid)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: "Spanking (!= hitting)"
Message-ID: <1106@amdahl.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 7-Feb-85 11:54:25 EST
Article-I.D.: amdahl.1106
Posted: Thu Feb  7 11:54:25 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 8-Feb-85 05:18:32 EST
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Organization: Amdahl Corp, Sunnyvale CA
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From Mr. Barbee:
> I have now read several rebuttals to Jan's posting and one common
> (I think it was in all followups) thread was justifying spanking because
> the child couldn't be allowed to [etc etc]  [...]
> Why is it that a child learns better when spanked?
> 
> My daughter is now 4 and she understands "Katie, I'm really serious about this."
> and other words like that.  I'm sorry, I can't remember when she started 
> understanding but it seems like it was a long time ago.  [...]
> 
> Before you flame, I'd like to add that I'm mostly interested in what the
> answers are going to be.  I have, on two occasions, spanked Katie.  The
> first was before I had thought much about the subject and the second was
> when she caught me with my patience running very thin.  [...]

My response [Sorry, no flame!]
     I think your second occasion is fairly typical.  Parents are human
beings, too, and at times can act irrationally.  That is not meant to
be an attempt to justify parental actions, just a statement of fact.

     Also, those of you with more than one child know each has his/her
own little personality.  You, Peter, are incredibly fortunate that Katie
understands and *listens* to you at age 4.  My youngest, who will be 4
this summer, could try the patience of a saint!  I have never spanked
her, but I will give her a single pat (not hard to inflict any pain, but
firm enough to get her attention) if she is engaged in inappropriate
behavior, and is ignoring our verbal advice.

     It has been my experience that no two children are the same, and
disciplinary methods must be tailored to each one.  [Really profound,
huh?]  It has also been my experience (not with my kids, but rather
myself as a youngster with three brothers) that parents tend to spank
when they lose their tempers.
-- 
Frank Dibbell     (408-746-6493)                 {whatever}!amdahl!canopus
[R.A. 6h 22m 30s  Dec. -52d 36m]                 [Generic disclaimer.....]