The latest Terry's Bonus Point Poll results are in.
| 428 Respondents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
||||
| 123 Males | ||||
| 305 Females | ||||
|
|
||||
 |
||||
|
||||
| "To spank or not to spank?" that is the question for parental types today. | ||||
| Total | Percent | M | F | Answer |
| 82 | 19.2% | 19.5% | 19% | Never. Now go take a time out. |
| 320 | 74.8% | 71.5% | 76.1% | Sometimes. Best watch your step. |
| 26 | 6.1% | 8.9% | 4.9% | Always! Where's my switch? |
I don't like spanking as a disciplinary measure. However, when your kid has absolutely lost his or her cotton-pickin' mind, I'm of a mind that sometimes a swat on the rear is required.
This is the only "safe for work" image that pops up when you Google "spanking"
As a kid, my dad was a spanker and my mom was a time-outter. Their lack of agreement on disciplinary measures allowed me to be an absolute terror. A swat on the rear probably would have done me some good. A time out that was actually enforced also would have helped. As it was, I had neither and was an evil child.
As a parent, I use techniques that my wife and I picked up in a course called "Love & Logic". Spanking is discouraged as it allegedly teaches kids that problems are to be solved with violence. Makes sense to me.
I've swatted my kids on the butt a few times. I've never been happy about it and have done maybe twice since taking this course. Spanking offers an immediate release of tension, but I always felt bad about it afterwards.
Using a system of time outs when a kid is going nuts on you is one heck of an exercise in patience, but I feel a lot better about it. Plus, I can always turn up my headphones while my kids yell about what a bad dad I am from their time-out spot. When they've calmed down, I have them think about their behavior for about 5 minutes and then they can join the family for fun times again. Again, a good set of headphones helps.
My kids are pretty doggone good under this system. With that being said, I'm not writing off spanking entirely. Some kids need a good butt whuppin'.
My Google Image Search for "brat" didn't quite give me what I had in mind...
Come to think of it, some adults do too. I'll bet you know a few.
There's a new Terry's Bonus Point Poll up here. Take it to score some more Points.
Your Blog Keyword for today is "timeout". It's good for 250 WDEZ Club Points until 1700 on 1/20/10.
Your TTPK Hint for last night is "batter, batter".
Be Cool,
TS
Comments