To Spank or Not To Spank?

Earlier (like 10-15 minutes ago) I left a comment on another blog. The initial posting was about James Dobson (Focus on the Family) getting a commercial on TV while the Church of Christ was left out in the cold. - 'So it goes', I figure in my usual cold hearted capitalistic fevered brain. The TV stations can show whichever commercials they want and if someone doesn't like it let 'em go start their own station. That settled, I perused the comments and saw a bit on Dobson's views on spanking.

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Dobson on child care:
"Pain is a marvelous purifier. . . It is not necessary to beat the child into submission; a little bit of pain goes a long way for a young child. However, the spanking should be of sufficient magnitude to cause the child to cry genuinely."

From Dare to Discipline, pages 6 and 7
"Some strong-willed children absolutely demand to be spanked, and their wishes should be granted. . . Two or three stinging strokes on the legs or buttocks with a switch are usually sufficient to emphasize the point, 'You must obey me.'"

whatever. children don't "demand" to have their will broken. some parents' tempers might demand that children be beaten. but that's a different thing, isn't it.
(posted by jami)
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My (single parent) mom never heard of Dobson and made sure that the tears were genuine. I tried faking it once and that didn't work at all. As a strong willed child I can say that many times my will was broken and in the end I came out a better person for it.

I did not receive spankings because my mom liked beating me. I received them because of direct disobedience to the set rules. The reason for a switch, brush, wooden spoon or belt was because it took mom (or me) a bit of time (wherein she could reflect and not be in anger) to get the item to be used for the spanking. Plus she would not end up hurting her hand.

The same hand she gave me food with was not used to spank me with. There was always a device between the two that in the long run would be a help in getting me to straighten up and fly right...

Worked for me. Wondering what others feel about the subject. I'm talking here of spankings for disobedience, not beatings because of evil, misguided parents.