Should spanking be banned?

This proposed law could turn out to be a heated debate from parents and psychologists alike:

California lawmaker proposes no-spanking law.

Both sides can argue the pros and cons of spanking all day long. Who is right? Who is wrong? Are parents wrong? Are child psychologists right?

To me spanking means bum swatting. I've received a few as a child, my husband too. In our family, it was a bum swat and a lecture. It wasn't our parent's first form of discipline, nor was it frequent. I was lightly spanked when I did not listen to reason and was the last resort to instill that what I did was not acceptable in our household.

I turned out ok (in my opinion).... I was not a bratty kid, I knew my bounderies my parents set and respected them, I was not spoiled. I have a loving close relationship with my parents then as a kid and now as an adult.

DH and I see so many kids today (some are our own friend's/relative's) whom are just running rampant in their own homes. They do not listen to their parents, they do not understand the concept of "No", they are spoiled and they rule the house. Are the parents instilling enough discipline in their kids? Should the parents be doing more to discipline them?

Maybe or maybe not. That's for the parents to decide for themselves not anyone else. That's not for the government to decide either except, if the child is endangered, abused or battered then by all means they have every right to step in. However, each parent should have that right or choice to decide how to discipline their children in their own home.

DH and I have talked about this and when we do have kids, we would like to have that right to decide as parents if spanking is the way to discipline our child, not Uncle Sam.

Question of the day: Should spanking be banned from private homes?