Discipline: Would you report someone who spanks their children?

There's spankings and then there'S beatings. That's an legal standpoint you have to determine. If a child gets spanked occasionally (to me thats 3 slaps or a rolled up newspaper to the bottom), I see no need for fear. However, when a parent or guardian gets out of control and keeps on going and/or to other areas of the body or uses a spoon, hairbrush or belt - thats cruelty and has to be reported.

Interesting topic. Well I will spank my child IF need be, but I will give him every option in the book to act right BEFORE it gets to that point. If a parent spank their child, to each their own. I know there are parents that is against spanking and by all means, I can respect that. I would never interfere with a parent if they spanked their child. Even today I see women spanking their kids. I guess I just don't interfere in other people parenting skills because I don't want another parent interfering in mine...

Tricky question. And a bit inaccurate in basis, no offense. The idea that children run wild now because spanking is now considered abuse and isn't regularly used as a means of discipline is faulty. It's a lack of discipline that is affecting younger generations, of course ... but that comes in many forms other than spanking. There are many ways to discipline a child, none of which have to be physical.

I have 5 kids. None have run wild in a mall, grocery store or otherwise, and are all well behaved kids. I've never spanked one of them, and I never will.

To me it's a clear cut case. Hitting someone across the head is abuse. But hitting someone on the butt isn't?*confusion* To me, it absolutely is. Location doesn't matter, and is nothing more than rationalizing a parents frustration at feeling like they have no other options.

Spanking is a way to induce fear into children. I don't want my children to be afraid of me, I want them to respect me. You don't earn respect from a child by hurting them physically. I've used many forms of discipline .. removal of priviledges, grounding, increasing their chore load for a few days, suspension of allowances, time outs, and some a little more original. None that are physically detremintal to the well being of my child. And as a result, I have 5 kids that know their manners, that bring home good grades, that all respect me and show that with their actions on a continual basis. I've never had any serious problems with any of them, and they all feel comfortable coming to me with problems, questions and admissions of guilt .. something they wouldn't feel comfortable doing if they were in fear of me hitting them for it.

For the record, my parents did believe in spanking. I was terrified of them growing up. Not really a way to encourage an honest relationship between parent and child.

As for the subject matter, yes and no. If the family in question was using spanking as a main form of discipline .. if I ever saw a mark on the child ... if the child acted jumpy or timid in any way .... if it were obvious that this family could find no other means of raising their child without using physical discipline, I absolutely would report it, without a second thought.

If this family were like the average family in the US and Canada that used spanking as a last resort method, exhausting several other forms of discipline first, then no. As much as I might not agree with their choice, I wouldn't report it ... but I would hope it doesn't backfire on them later.

There's a big difference between whipping or spanking and beating a child.My mom would bust our butt if she felt we needed it.She regularly used a belt,switch,or flyswatter.But she could take us anywhere and we didn't show out.We knew that if we showed out in front of people,we would get our butt whipped in front of people.We are all grown know and turned out just fine.I think if more people were like my mom,there wouldn't be so many kids running around acting like wild animals.
On the other hand,I had a friend whose dad would hit him in the face with his fist.Even broke his nose once.Now this is abusive and uncalled for.There is a line and you just gotta know where that line is.

As long as i was certain that said neighbors were not physically harming their children, I would see no reason to report them. I think that a little bit of spanking even in this day and age can go a long way towards teaching a child a lesson that they may not learn any other way, or at least not learn as strongly. I know that the few times my very peaceful father got angry enough toe ven threaten to hit me (he never did, as far as I recall) really left an impression upon me and made me not want to act up. I don't see a single thing wrong with spanking as long as it is not putting the child into actual physical danger or harm.

Depends of what the definition of spanking is. As long as there not beating the hell out of there children I would not interfere. WHy do you think there are so many out of control children. To spank a child on the butt or smack his hand when hes touching something he shouldnt doesnt bother me. Its the ones that truly beat there children then I would report them

As long as the children weren't injured or being preyed upon for no good reason I definitly would not report them. I do spank my children if need be (not daily though) and hope that they would give me the same benefit of the doubt.

The same fear is here in the UK as it against the law
No I would not report anyone as long as it is just smacking for being misbehaved it did me no Harm and believe I got beaten not smacked and most the time it was not me who had done wrong but my Brother
And it has my Children no harm if they misbehaved they got a smack on the legs or the Butt
It is wrong that Parents are scared now to discipline their Child
Here in the UK they even have a Childline for Children that can be used by any Child to report the Parents if they smck them

I would not interfere. If they are abusing the child thats a different story, I would report that. I hate to see kids running in the store and back talking to their parents that shows the parent has no control over the child. It's very annoying and disruptive to other customers.

As someone said previously there are spankings and then there are beatings. No child deserves to be beaten but anyone who disbehaves should know there is a consequence for their action and that is a spanking. So this hypathetical situation you presented can't be answered honestly without more details.