Why Spanking is Necessary

Posted on 10 July 2008 by DanielthePoet

Over the past few decades, spanking as a method of training and discipline has fluctuated in popularity among American parents. Dr. Spock's book was a major influence upon the methodology of my parents' generation. That generation also raised children responsible for the most dramatic increase in divorce, crime, and teen suicide in American History (not counting the Great Depression). We're not laying the responsibility of the country at one man's feet, but new trends affect societies. It's an unavoidable truth. And Dr. Spock said we shouldn't spank our children.

The American Academy of Pediatrics' official policy says:

"Despite its common acceptance, spanking is a less effective strategy than timeout or removal of privileges for reducing undesired behavior in children. Although spanking may immediately reduce or stop an undesired behavior, its effectiveness decreases with subsequent use. The only way to maintain the initial effect of spanking is to systematically increase the intensity with which it is delivered, which can quickly escalate into abuse. Thus, at best, spanking is only effective when used in selective infrequent situations."

Though he acknowledges that many well-adjusted adults were spanked as children, Dr. Spock agrees with the AAP and offers several reasons why he discourages the use of spanking:

1. Spanking as a replacement for instruction leads to resentment and the desire to avoid being caught.

2. Spanking teaches a child that the bigger, stronger person has the power to get his/her way.

3. Children react better to praise and high expectations.  

Refuting Spock's Statements

Responding to Dr. Spock isn't the goal here, but let's briefly answer these statements so we can continue moving forward.

1. Spanking doesn't have to be a replacement for instruction. To refute spanking on those grounds is to address a non-issue. Perhaps some parents ignore teaching and instructing their children. That, however, does NOT make spanking responsible for this decision. Baby and bathwater, people. Stick to the issue. What about instructing your children AND spanking when necessary? 

2. Spanking can have this affect on a child if the child's heart is not tended. Cruel punishment of any kind will breed resentment, and a rebellious heart WILL look forward to the future when he/she has grown large enough to defend himself/herself. Again, this is an argument against the abuse of spanking, not the correct use. 

3. Children do in fact react well to praise and high expectations. The missing element in both Spock's and the AAP's positions is that of training. If you train your child as a baby to obey and focus on disciplining a child toward good behavior rather than only punishing bad behavior, you are much more likely to produce a well-balanced person.

Why Spanking is Still Necessary

If a child is trained as a baby onward, he/she will be tuned to obey the parent's instructions. If the process is followed from To Train Up a Child, you will be able to apply spanking as it was intended. We can't go into all the purposes here, but reading the book should excite you like it excited me. 

Spanking is still necessary because a child has a conscience. A child violates his/her conscience and feels guilty. This child needs to be absolved of guilt and forgiven. Punishment/Discipline needs to be administered in such a way as to wipe the slate clean.

Spanking is NOT to be used as an instrument of venting your anger.

Spanking is NOT to be used as a method of scaring your children into obedience.

Spanking is NOT to be used to turn your children into Pavlov's dog.

Properly applied, spanking relieves the child's conscience and resets the clock. Explain to your child what is right and how what they did was wrong. Tell her that you love her and that your love for her never changes. After instructing and reaffirming your child, a spanking is payment. It teaches the child about sowing and reaping. It teaches the child that decisions have consequences. And by loving your child before and after, you can guard your child's heart against fearing a loss of acceptance based on behavior. No one really wants a child who feels the need to perform for acceptance. 

Spanking is guarding your child's heart from permanent guilt and shame. Without proper punishment, a child knows she has gotten away with wrongdoing. It eats at her little heart. If unchecked over time, a child will learn to believe that she is a bad person and that there are no consequences. She wants in her heart to be a good person, but doesn't know how on her own to achieve this. Her heart is actually relieved by receiving a punishment that stings but allows her to start over, having paid for her mistake. 

Whether you read the Bible or not, there is a reason why it says, "He that spareth the rod hateth his son." Your choices as the parent make declarative statements over who your child will be. Don't spare your child the ability to reset his or her conscience. Don't rob your child of a clean conscience. Offer your child the opportunity to live free from guilt and shame. Only without a lifetime of suppressed guilt and shame will your precious child ever live to be a well-balanced, fully functioning adult. 

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6 Comments For This Post

1. Destiny Says:
   July 10th, 2008 at 11:08 am

   Good article. I think the kicker is never to spank out of anger or frustration. And also to always explain to your child what he did wrong, why it was wrong and then to tell him that is why he is getting a spanking. I have a friend who just gets so frustrated when her kid is doing something, she just grabs him and beats his butt. I personally equate that with mild abuse. No wonder her kid is a hitter himself because that’s what he see’s.
   I spank my daughter, but I try to never do it out of frustration and if I feel myself getting too frustrated, I relinquish over to my husband so as to never cross a line. She always knows why she is getting spanked and I’ve always had good results due to discipline.
   I have that book, but haven’t read it yet. I should do that tonight.
   Anyways, good article Daniel.

2. DanielthePoet Says:
   July 10th, 2008 at 11:14 am

   Additional point. “removing the undesired behavior” is not the only reason for spanking. If you train a child before they’ve reached the age where spanking becomes an option, then discipline reinforces the training you’ve already instilled.

   Perhaps more people have failed by spanking because they never trained their child, and the child just gets beat for doing things wrong. That’s not the same thing I’m promoting here at all. Entirely different worlds.

3. Ashleigh Says:
   July 10th, 2008 at 2:19 pm

   I really don’t know what to think about this. Reading the last section really raised some questions for me. I remember being spanked as a child, but not that often. I think the last time I was ever spanked is the most prevalent in my mind. I was acting out. I wanted to do something, and my dad wouldn’t let me, and I was screaming and crying, and he swatted my butt so hard I cried even more. Based on what the last paragraphs say, especially these parts, “Spanking is still necessary because a child has a conscience. A child violates his/her conscience and feels guilty. This child needs to be absolved of guilt and forgiven. Punishment/Discipline needs to be administered in such a way as to wipe the slate clean…Her heart is actually relieved by receiving a punishment that stings but allows her to start over, having paid for her mistake,” I don’t think spanking was “correctly” for me as a form of discipline. I have a huge guilt complex, and I do feel the need to perform for acceptance. I still struggle to accept the fact that if someone doesn’t like me for me then I don’t need them in my life. I feel like I need to be a different, possiby better, person for them. Very thought provoking. I’m sure my counselor and I will derive countless hours of fun from this one

4. DanielthePoet Says:
   July 10th, 2008 at 2:26 pm

   @ashleigh I’m guessing there’s a word missing when you said “i don’t think spanking was ‘correctly’ for me…” I’d like to know what you intended to say before i respond.

5. Ashleigh Says:
   July 11th, 2008 at 9:23 am

   Oops, sorry. I meant to say “correctly” ADMINISTERED.

6. Michael Callaway Says:
   July 12th, 2008 at 6:06 pm

   Every child is different, a friend of mine was never spanked as a child because if her parents told her to go to her room and think about what she did then she was upset enough at that. I would have just gone there and did nothing. As a kid, I needed to be spanked and I appreciate my parents for it.

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