Corporal punishment of children banned in 31 countries

[Jenna]

In 1979, a few years before the Swanson family arrived, Sweden became the first country to ban physical punishment of children.
Since then, 30 more countries have passed bans on corporal punishment at home, and even more have banned it in schools, according to the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children. Just last month, Togo confirmed to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child that parts of its children's code are meant to ban physical punishment.
See a country-by-country breakdown of corporal punishment bans
No countries in North America ban physical punishment by parents, but there's a perennial debate about the line between discipline and abuse, and who's allowed to administer it. It flared again last week after millions watched a seven-minute YouTube video from 2004 that showed a Texas judge cursing at his teen daughter and beating her with a belt.
While there are laws against child abuse, it's legal in all 50 states for parents to hit their children, and for schools in 19 states to physically punish kids. About 80% of American parents said they've hit their young children, and about 100,000 kids are paddled in U.S. schools every year, researchers said.

More here: In Sweden, a generation of kids who've never been spanked - CNN.com

[Cidp24]

"He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes."

Controlled corporal punishment never caused a problem with me or most of my generation. It is an attention-getter when "time out" does not work.

[pgg]

I think the lack of corporal punishment has contributed to the decline of this country.

[Captain America]

Take a time-out , Jenny before I smack you.

[Twan007]

Time-out is a useful tool

so is Corporal Punishment

each for different reasons, and different occasions...

used in conjunction with each other can be quite effective...

and oh, do I agree with you pgg...

[Pudge]

Time-out is a useful tool

so is Corporal Punishment

each for different reasons, and different occasions...

used in conjunction with each other can be quite effective...

and oh, do I agree with you pgg...

Agreed. The situation dictates the level of punishment. We use a combination of both.

[Xiphos]

Outlawing reasonable physical discipline will not stop people who physically abuse children. There is a huge difference.

I've never seen anything stupider than a parent trying to reason with a bratty toddler. They don't understand reason and logic dumbass.

My state specifically codifies physical discipline of children as being legal.

Home of the free, not, "Home of the nanny government thinking for me."

[Five-0]

Agreed. The situation dictates the level of punishment. We use a combination of both.

This.

An actual call I was on was where a juvenile called 911 because they were being disciplined. NO CELL PHONE, the humanity. I mentioned corporal punishment (11 year old) They protested that their mother could not do that. My next question, "Does she need me to hold you down?" This whole story makes me want to go down to the U.N. and beat some ass right now.

[Pudge]

This.

An actual call I was on was where a juvenile called 911 because they were being disciplined. NO CELL PHONE, the humanity. I mentioned corporal punishment (11 year old) They protested that their mother could not do that. My next question, "Does she need me to hold you down?" This whole story makes me want to go down to the U.N. and beat some ass right now.

I was working one afternoon and called to the office for a parent who brought their 11 year old daughter in because she was being unruly.

After talking with both of them and they were ready to go, the dad asked the child to put her coat on so they could leave. Child says no and proceeds to pout. The dad threw up his hands and said he couldn't do anything. Daddy instinct kicked in, I helped her to her feet, took each hand and put them through the sleeves of the coat without much effort. Looked at the dad and reiterated the "ask, tell, make" philosphy and sent them on their way. This 11 year old completely ran the show, and the 6'4" mountain of a man would not take control over something so simple as putting a coat on. I could, but couldn't believe it.

[lewisipso]

I think the lack of corporal punishment has contributed to the decline of this country.

This.

[JLK]

I don’t hit my kids, I spank them. There is a difference, hitting is out of anger, and spanking is out of love. Spanking along with other forms of discipline are necessary to grow healthy responsible adults. Without the discipline from loving parents children have a higher chance of becoming useless, nonproductive members of society. Expecting everything given to them, kind of like the morons occupying wall street.

[Xiphos]

I don’t hit my kids, I spank them. There is a difference, hitting is out of anger, and spanking is out of love. Spanking along with other forms of discipline are necessary to grow healthy responsible adults. Without the discipline from loving parents children have a higher chance of becoming useless, nonproductive members of society. Expecting everything given to them, kind of like the morons occupying wall street.

Best post of the thread. Reps.