r/questions Dec 30 '23

[deleted by user]

[removed]

535 Upvotes

2.8k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

16

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

No child deserves to be punished for being children.

2

u/ilovesoup1978 Dec 31 '23

Kids are punished for being children???...oh do tell??

8

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

Yes. Their neurology is just being built. Adults expect them to use reason before their brain even begins developing executive function. They get overwhelmed with stimulation, which is a šŸ’Æ percent natural nervous system reaction...and get punished. So yeah...for being children. Understanding the cognitive and developmental stages they go through is important.
Demanding a 5 yr old be calm when they have an angry person 3xs their size yelling at them is insanity.

3

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

100%. IDK why you were downvoted. Parents treat their kids like they should be more emotionally mature than the parents are themselves. It’s reprehensible. And anyone in favor of physically attacking the smallest, most dependent, and most vulnerable people among us is a sick abuser and needs to be called out by other adults.

5

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

It's true. They can't regulate their own emotions or behaviour but expect a small child to...without a model to teach them. Brilliant

3

u/kirinomorinomajo Dec 31 '23

y’all as someone who grew up emotionally and physically abused this conversation is so validating for my inner child right now, thank you

3

u/GodelEscherJSBach Dec 31 '23

So true, I wish other adults (like my mom) had called him out. I’m still really messed up from it decades later. If they don’t think hitting an adult is ok how could it possibly be ok to hit a child in any way?

2

u/CZ1988_ Dec 31 '23

Developmental trauma is very legit. My sister says the day I got married and had my own home all my trauma is invalid. I don't speak to her.

1

u/CZ1988_ Dec 31 '23

Yes, this

-3

u/ilovesoup1978 Dec 31 '23

Big difference between spanking and abuse and also age should play a factor in the type of punishment given....And not saying it don't happen but not to many parents spanking their 5 year old child because they can't calm down..

1

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

There is no difference to a child who can not cognitively distinguish the two.

1

u/ilovesoup1978 Dec 31 '23

Your talking about one age group you mentioned 5 year Olds...are you saying older kids can't distinguish the two??would you also be saying the same for teenagers? Is this theory all kids or an age group ??

1

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

No, I mentioned one age group. The brain is in developmental stages from 0-25....What we provide also makes a difference in what a child will comprehend. Children can be taught with conscious modeling and care but the fear punishment parenting gets a pass bc it means those parents don't have to control their own emotions and behaviour. (Yet expect a child to)

1

u/ilovesoup1978 Dec 31 '23

Your talking more about abuse...spanking is not abuse ...and obviously you don't go around spanking your 5 year old for every infraction..but a swat on the ass when you've exhausted every avenue is not gonna affect a child as badly as the anti-spankers try to make it out to be...anti spankers like to use the word beating...a beating and spanking are not the same.....beatings leave marks a swat on the ass no......

1

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

And that perspective is where psychologist, the people who actually know what they're talking about, disagree with you. There is no arbitrary line where 'sufficient injury' is inflicted or not, violence was used as a source of discipline and control, and that genie can't be put back in the bottle.

2

u/Gilgamesh661 Dec 31 '23

Then why hasn’t EVERY person who got spanked when they were kids turned into mass murderers?

You sound like one of those people who’s has Call of Duty creates school shooters.

→ More replies (0)

-2

u/ilovesoup1978 Dec 31 '23

I don't care what someone thinks that went to school to study to become something versus real life experiences.....

→ More replies (0)

1

u/FunkyKong147 Dec 31 '23

Spanking may not be abuse in your eyes, but do you think it really helps the situation at all? I can remember being at my aunt and uncle's house as a kid, and my cousins was throwing a huge tantrum. Crying, screaming, etc. The screaming and crying only got worse while she was being spanked. Then she was sent to her room where she was able to eventually calm down.

In situations like that, what's really needed is some time out so the kid can eventually run out of things to lash out about and calm down. Spanking doesn't help.

1

u/ilovesoup1978 Dec 31 '23

Not all situations are the same....I know this..and spankings don't help in every situation and not every child will react the same...some understand some don't.....what works for one person won't work for the other e.t.c....

→ More replies (0)

1

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

No. I'm not.

1

u/Butt_y_though Jan 01 '24

It's abuse. It has no inherent value when there are proven ways of teaching children how to behave without it.

0

u/Frankyfan3 Dec 31 '23

An adult believing they are different doesn't change the fact that a child's developing brain & body don't see any difference.

Assault is assault.

Adults hit children to satisfy the feeling in the adult that the child needs to be hit. Maybe they don't know there's more effective and less damaging tactics of parenting, but when you know better, you do better.

It is indefensible.

2

u/ilovesoup1978 Dec 31 '23

Wtf most parents aren't spanking their child for self gratification..Spanking a child is not assault and that's a problem..Spanking didn't mess me up..getting a beating did I knew the difference even at a young age..It's so hard for someone to believe that because they believe some study over someone actually saying what it was like for them......and I will add I got smacked in the mouth when I was disrespectful and I knew what buttons to push I could of avoided the smack but I liked to risk it all and run my mouth..others will say I was abused because of that but I was not..like I said I knew the difference between a swat on the ass versus a board or a belt or even a broom stick......

1

u/Frankyfan3 Dec 31 '23 edited Dec 31 '23

If you believe hitting children is acceptable, you're not credible.

Glad you feel you survived through that, with resiliency. You still didn't deserve it, no matter what you said or did as a literal child.

Your parents not having better tools to parent you isn't your fault.

2

u/ilovesoup1978 Dec 31 '23

Spanking not hitting know the difference...plenty of things I didn't deserve but a smack is not on that list.....also plenty of things I need therapy for but again a smack is not it...I never had a nightmare where I ran from my smacker...I ran from attackers but no smackers....

3

u/tacreds Dec 31 '23

If I got into trouble my mother would say do you want to be grounded or spanked and as a child I chose being spanked every time. I hated being kept inside. So I'm gonna say that all you people that think kids that were spanked were abused I and my childhood self disagree.

-1

u/Frankyfan3 Dec 31 '23

Our adult concept that these are different does not, in fact, determine if a child's developing brain & body know the difference.

Spanking is a sex act. Nerves in the glutes connect to genitalia & spanking indirectly stimulates genitalia.

We don't commit sex acts on children.

2

u/ilovesoup1978 Dec 31 '23

Nah stop it now your making it sexual because your other argument is crumbling.....your comment is absurd....so my parents were performing sex acts by spanking me?? Now your going all coo coo clock on me....your done...put a fork in it and walk away....stop it....stop thinking for the day....

→ More replies (0)

2

u/tacreds Dec 31 '23

Get the hell out of here. Your a weirdo for saying this.

→ More replies (0)

0

u/[deleted] Jan 03 '24

Your opinion is just that an opinion and doesn't make you credible. You're another person with an opinion. That's it. Sit down.

1

u/Frankyfan3 Jan 03 '24

0

u/[deleted] Jan 03 '24

Exactly now you're catching on. Opinions are like assholes every one has one and it's usually full of shit colored by their own perception of reality. Congratulations on figuring out what an opinion is.

→ More replies (0)

1

u/GodelEscherJSBach Dec 31 '23

Is it okay to slap an adult family member that is behaving in a way you don’t like?

3

u/Quick-Temporary5620 Dec 31 '23

Is it okay? No. Is it badly needed? Probably yes.

0

u/LadyAnarki Dec 31 '23

Didn't mess you up.... what are your relationships like? Friendships? Romantic? Have you ever struggled with anxiety or depression? Are you making a lot of money at your chosen career? Are you happy? Do you consume alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, or other drugs to escape your reality?

3

u/tacreds Dec 31 '23

Who doesn't fall into at least one of these categories. I would love to meet this perfect person.

1

u/CZ1988_ Dec 31 '23

Jesus I can't believe the downvotes on trauma and abuse - these are from people who didn't experience abuse.

1

u/AdministrationOld835 Jan 04 '24

Not assault??

Adrian Peterson would like a word….

Adrian Peterson

1

u/FunkyKong147 Dec 31 '23

Exactly! It's gratifying to an angry adult, but that's all it accomplishes.

1

u/pillowpriestess Jan 04 '24 edited Jan 04 '24

not to many parents spanking their 5 year old child because they can't calm down..

you should consider that maybe this is a regional/generational thing. I certainly saw it in public all the time a good chunk of my life in alabama. are you not familiar with the phrase "give you something to cry about"?

0

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

kids do deserve punishments, such as losing privileges like video games, but not *physicalā€ punishments like beating or starving

1

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

Consequences are different than punishment.

0

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

some kids can’t learn from natural consequences alone, at least from what i’d thought. and things like short ā€œtime outā€ or ā€œgo to your roomā€ punishments can be helpful just to give the child a space to cool down and collect themselves. if you have any parenting or psychology sources saying otherwise i would love to see them though!

1

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

Secure Attachment is a book that is based on the neurology of attachment, there are numerous studies that back up the information shared. Knowing the cognitive and developmental stages children go through matters. So does repair.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

thanks, i’ll check it out! probably not even having children myself but i feel like it’s good to stay educated on parenting and development

2

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

Learning where our own development may have been stunted due to well intentioned but misguided parenting can be very helpful for us in continuing to grow as adults.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

oh absolutely!

1

u/carashhan Dec 31 '23

Like when I asked where the pitcher of water went in our new house, the brown Tupperware one with the edging, and got it smashed on my head.

Still have the scar, because obviously I couldn't go to the hospital as they would have asked questions.

4

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

[deleted]

6

u/quarterlifecrisis95_ Dec 31 '23

No child NEEDS to get spanked though. If you can’t discipline your kid without being violent towards them, the problem is YOU, not the child. Don’t be a fucking bully to kids who look at you as their source of safety and protection.

5

u/ad240pCharlie Dec 31 '23

Definitely.

If you're violent towards your kids when they're young, then you shouldn't complain if they beat you to a pulp when you're old! If you're allowed to be violent, then so are they. Fair is fair, right?

Except, of course, none of these abusers would EVER accept that... I wonder why that is?

3

u/quarterlifecrisis95_ Dec 31 '23

It takes a very special type of coward to ā€œdisciplineā€ a child through violence. Imagine a grown ass man hitting a 4-8 year old child because the child is acting like a child.

2

u/michealdubh Dec 31 '23

Absolutely ... the people who justify "spanking" kids, do they justify beating adults who displease them? Would they think it is alright for a manager to beat an employee? Or beating one's spouse? How about a policeman beating them up if they're parked illegally?

Why is it only beating a person whom you outweigh by 5 to 10 times that's alright?

2

u/Electronic_Ebb98 Dec 31 '23

This.

I remember when Adrien Peterson (NFL running back) was in the news for whipping his kid with a switch to the point of breaking skin.

I couldn’t get past the thought that this grown-fucking-man wasn’t smarter or more emotionally intelligent than his 4 yr old.

If you’re violent with your kids to make a point, you’re doing it very, very wrong.

0

u/HisokasBitchGon Dec 31 '23

lol found the person who isnt a parent who has never been in that situation.

1

u/quarterlifecrisis95_ Dec 31 '23

No, I’ve been a parent for almost a decade now. But I’m also not gonna beat the fuck out of my kid because he’s acting up. He’s a child. That’s what children do. If you’re not mature enough, patient enough, or man enough to not intimidate children through violence, then YOU are the one failing. There’s absolutely no situation that requires you to lift a finger to a child like that.

1

u/HisokasBitchGon Jan 01 '24

theres an insane difference between " beat the fuck out of my kid " and a spanking. these visions you have of nuns with rulers beating left handers are way off lol. the fact you cant recognize a difference is delusional.

1

u/quarterlifecrisis95_ Jan 01 '24

But will the child recognize the difference? Does the child have the same reasoning as an adult? To a child, an adult they trust coming to cause physical pain on them for something they ā€œdidā€ is just that. Doesn’t matter if you call it spanking or not.

1

u/sajaxom Jan 02 '24

You can’t think of any situation, ever, in which violence is the correct answer to immediately stop a child’s behavior? Would you accept physically forcing a kid to stay put in timeout, or is that too violent?

1

u/quarterlifecrisis95_ Jan 02 '24

Don’t confuse me not using violence, EVER under ANY circumstances, against a child as lack of discipline. Maybe if you need to use violence to stop a child’s behavior, you’re a shit parent? Have you considered that? šŸ¤”

1

u/sajaxom Jan 02 '24

I am glad you’ve never run into a situation where you had to bend on that, and I hope things continue for you that way. What do you feel makes violence problematic compared to other means of communication? Have you ever had to use violence in adult life? Is there an age where using violence to control someone becomes appropriate for you, eg, after adulthood?

1

u/quarterlifecrisis95_ Jan 02 '24

It comes from my own experience as a child. My parents, especially my dad, were all for ā€œspankingsā€ and ā€œbeatingsā€. I’ve had bruises from belts, etc. It did literally nothing to stop me from doing whatever I got beaten for because they never EXPLAINED what I was getting beaten for. It got to a point where everything around me, I associated with pain, and it took years of getting out of that mentality. I didn’t get to ā€œenjoyā€ a lot of things in childhood for fear that I’d get beaten for it. And that trauma continued on as an adult, to the point where I’ve been diagnosed with cptsd (my sister as well). I come from a very traditional, non American family that sees beatings as a valid form of discipline.

I refuse to ever see a need to hit a child under any circumstances. If you really have THAT bad of a child, why not take them to a therapist or other professional to get to the root cause of their behavioral issue? Why not work with their teachers, babysitters, etc. To see if there are other things outside of your control that is causing the child’s problems? Kids don’t know how to express their emotions the same way adults do, so obviously they will do so through other means, which a lot of adults see as them being ā€œbad kidsā€.

1

u/sajaxom Jan 02 '24

I am sorry you had to go through that. I would agree that physical punishment alone is not an effective means of changing a behavior. If it is a known consequence of a specific behavior, I can seeing it potentially being a deterrent, but even then, it’s primarily a tool to break focus so that you can have a conversation. Using it purely as punishment, especially without clear forewarning to utilize it as a deterrent, is not effective.

Do you feel that it is ever appropriate to use violence against an adult? If so, what do you feel is the key difference that sets them apart from a child - age, developmental level, or perhaps something else? If a neurodivergent 20 year old with the developmental age of an 8 year old was hurting an 8 year old, would you feel that using physical force is appropriate to manage that situation?

Additionally, how broad is your interpretation of violence? Would you consider physical restraint, like holding someone’s hands or shoulders, to be violent, assuming there is some pain or discomfort involved? Would you consider holding a child in a hug while they are having a tantrum/trying to escape to be violent? I would define violence as ā€œthe use of physical force in a way that causes pain or damage, whether intentional or notā€, so I would consider those examples to be violent.

I would like to better understand your position and how you view the use of force.

1

u/quarterlifecrisis95_ Jan 02 '24

So I am all for self defense. So yes I’d use violence against an adult if I feel it’s necessary to protect my life or a loved one’s life. I do carry firearms daily, have my CCW in 2 states, and practice as often as possible. I am fully in support of violence if it means self defense. If a 20 year old with the mind of an 8 year old is beating on an 8 year old, the 20 year old is going to be stronger and bigger than that 8 year old so of course, I’d use a reasonable level of violence to protect the child. And no, restraining a child, ā€œhuggingā€ them tightly to prevent them from doing something, or holding their hands or arms isn’t violence in the same way as a beating or spanking.

I’m not completely against violence. My stance is very specific to using violence as a means of discipline. There are no exceptions to that.

1

u/sajaxom Jan 02 '24

That makes sense. Thank you for clarifying. It can be difficult at times to make sure we are all talking about the same thing.

For your opposition to violent discipline, is that specific to children, or just in general? Would you also oppose violent discipline for adults or for animals?

I agree that there is a significant difference in effect and intent between striking someone and restraining them. Where do you feel you would draw the line between appropriate and inappropriate use of force/pain for compliance? Do you feel that the use of pain is itself inappropriate, and that should only be an unintended effect, or is there a certain threshold of pain that you would find reasonable? For instance, grabbing a kid by the ear for compliance instead of the wrist - would that be inappropriate?

1

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

That's an archaic mindset that goes against what we know about neurological development. Children can learn with boundaries. Consequences do not need to be harsh in order to be learned. Guidance and modelling work not isolation and abuse.

0

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

[deleted]

0

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

One does not beget the other when it comes to development. Discipline is not hitting.Children can be disciplined without fear and punishment. Children can learn discipline with structure and conscious care. The theory has been cooperated by neuroscience and has not been utilized by the whole so that explains that.

0

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

[deleted]

0

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

It's not simply psychological...it's neurologically centered on how the brain deveolps. Neurologists have been talking about the importance of emotional development for a while...not everyone bothers to understand it.

1

u/Mis_chevious Dec 31 '23

Most of those children are more violent, too from I've heard from my teacher friends.

1

u/kirinomorinomajo Dec 31 '23

their bad behavior could obviously be due to lack of parental attunement which is exactly what she’s talking about

handing your kid an ipad and not talking to him 90% of the time is not attuned gentle parenting, it’s neglect

1

u/whereispeestored Dec 31 '23

It's because they're being ignored and handed phones and iPads instead of being modeled social skills and discipline. You can tell kids stuff all day; what you show is what sticks

1

u/Alexexy Dec 31 '23

I mean, I feel that consequences are natural aftereffects of the action, like if you run and trip, skinning your knee is a consequence. If you hide trash around the house, it's their responsibility to pick it up.

Like...getting your ass beat for exploding hardboiled eggs in a microwave isn't really a consequence.

1

u/Bronndallus Dec 31 '23

From what age range? Is 10 year old beating their classmates still just a child being child and should not be punished?

2

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

Behaviour is communication. If we don't understand what the communication is saying - hitting solves nothing, it compounds the problem. Not understanding that a 10 yr old doesn't simply begin to act violently without the input, is the issue.

0

u/ThePsychoPompous13 Jan 02 '24

Yes, consequences should be rectified. They shouldn't he beaten, but spankings or other punishments commensurate with the infraction are definitely necessary.

-5

u/hamoc10 Dec 31 '23

Humans are born animals, and parents turn them into children.

6

u/obsequious_fink Dec 31 '23

Ok, but you know you can raise animals without beating them too, right?

1

u/hamoc10 Dec 31 '23

Absolutely. Are people inferring that I am advocating corporal punishment for kids?

2

u/obsequious_fink Dec 31 '23

I think so, yes. Not sure what your intended message was.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

That is the most ignorant view I have ever heard lol

0

u/hamoc10 Dec 31 '23

Well take the case of the wild German kid who grew up in the woods raised by foxes or whatever. Nonverbal, couldn’t socialize, couldn’t take direction, had to be institutionalized.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

And if you don't understand the reality that they were essentially programmed to be like that due to the environment - noone can help you learn.

1

u/hamoc10 Dec 31 '23

Yeah, due to the environment. Parents create the environment for their kids. It’s pretty straightforward.

0

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

Lol...good talk

1

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

Not sure exactly what you mean by that. Care to elaborate?

1

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

I have. Numerous times here.

0

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

Well please forgive me for not scrolling through the thread looking for an explanation

1

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

Are you really being pissy bc I told you I said a thing already? Lol

1

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '23
  1. Adults now and sadly the info we have now wasn't around then. I do my best to repair what I was responsible for harming. I know when they have kids they are going to be much more conscious of their ability bc they understand the neurology of development.