we live in a dirty, dirty world

Long Term Effects of Spanking

Several things came to mind when I read this article...

1. Golly gee! No wonder sexuality is perverting America!
2. Hmm, I spank my kids (well, kid, Addison hasnt done anything THAT bad yet)
3. well, I was spanked as a kid!.... oh wait.....

Two great hot-topic subjects, all rolled into one overgeneralized study! What to do, what to do? Well first, I really think there is a place for spanking- sometimes its the only thing that will get a kids attention. However, there is a big difference between spanking and abuse! A swat on the bottom is not the same as beating the tar out of them! A few examples of when I have spanked Emma: when she didnt respond to time out, when she did something to endanger herself or someone else and when she was being willfully disobedient.

But at the same time.... how are we supposed to teach our children that hitting is wrong if we hit them? Hmmmmm. For now, I'm just going to go with the theory that 'To everything, there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven' .... you know... a time to laugh, a time to cry, a time to grieve, a time to dance, a time to quietly correct your child, and a time to turn them over your knee!

For your amusement.... the other day- a rather trying day- Emma was being 'willfully disobedient' (i.e. she was laughing manically and running away from me as I threatened and chased her). So I said to her "Emma, if you do not stop RIGHT NOW, you will get a spanking when I catch you". Did she stop? haha, yeah right... now that wouldnt be a very good story, now would it? So I run after her up the stairs and manage to wrangle her in the entry way. Good to my word, I grab her little arm (*hehehe, she's still laughing*), pull down her pants and diaper (*hehe, isnt it funny, mommy?*) and SMACK! Well, she's not laughing now! Neither is mommy though, because in my hast, I didnt notice she had a poopy diaper and ended up with a hand covered in shit.

As for sexual, um, delinquency.... we'll leave that for another day ;)