Birthday spankings have fallen out of favor. Does this mean that spanking for discipline will too?
Any one who has read more than a few of my articles can probably tell that I don’t think spanking is an effective parenting tool. Not that I have written about spanking and, other than this blog, I don’t care to. But, I tend to write about gentle discipline and peaceful parenting techniques, which are incompatible with spanking.
So, when we were celebrating my middle son’s birthday a few nights ago, I told my kids that when I was a child I always got a birthday spanking. They were aghast that this was a tradition back then. I like to think that I am not that old, so the conversation really got me thinking how much parenting has changed in the last thirty years.
At least from my point of view it has changed. More moms than ever are choosing to breastfeed their babies. Dads are getting involved with their children like never before. And, the internet is helping parents research and find support for any parenting issues they may have.
However, spanking as a discipline technique has remained a stubborn fixture in our society. Slowly though, the word is getting out that it is time to replace spanking with better, more enlightened parenting techniques. In another thirty years maybe the concept of spanking will be as antiquated as birthday spankings are now.
