Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
12:43 am Sunday, September 1, 2002

Discipline or abuse?

By Staff
Sept. 1, 2002
Craig Ziemba is a pilot who lives in Meridian.
USA Today published a table last week showing numbers of corporal punishments reported by states in public schools last year. Mississippi topped the list of the few states that still practice spanking as a means of discipline.
Several cable and network news programs followed up on the story by interviewing "parenting experts" who denounced corporal punishments as child abuse and claimed that spanking teaches children that violence is a proper means of expression. Video of angry parents trying to hit out-of-control, flailing children was presented as evidence that spanking is cruel and ineffective. So what are young parents to think?
We've all witnessed unfit parents in the grocery store shake their children and verbally abuse them. It makes us sick, and we feel like intervening but fear that the children may suffer even more when they get home as a result. Does this mean that all corporal punishment is wrong?
To say that scenes I've just described invalidate corporal punishment would be as illogical as saying that Jack Kevorkian invalidates modern medicine. There is a huge difference between abuse and loving, firm discipline.
My parents spanked me quite often ( although not nearly as frequently as I deserved). They did through a process of instruction, punishment and reconciliation. When I disobeyed, they would calmly explain what I did wrong, tan my fanny, I would apologize, we would hug, and it was over. They never once were mean to me, never once belittled me, and I never once doubted that they loved me.
Proper discipline is an act of love that benefits the child. Discipline helps to protect, teach, and mold a child's character during his formative years so that he will learn obedience, self-control and respect for authority. When my son tries to poke his finger in an electric socket or pull a knife out of the dishwasher, I spank him for his own good.
When he throws a tantrum, I correct him so that he will learn to control his temper and understand that he won't always get his way. Simply removing him from the temptation or giving him something else doesn't get his attention and doesn't teach cause and effect nearly as well as a swat on the rear.
One "parenting expert" I watched insisted that parents should avoid confrontations with their children by ignoring bad behavior and constantly offering positive alternatives to distract the child and prevent the parents from having to say, "no."
Man, I'd love to be a fly on the wall in that house.
Permissive parenting sure sounds good, but everyone I know who has tried it raised unhappy, spoiled children who end up resenting their non-confrontational parents.
Call me crazy or too results oriented, but the "parenting experts" I'm willing to listen to are ones I know who have reared happy, respectful, well-behaved children.
For years, I've watched the way successful parents handle their children, and without exception they all have a healthy mixture of love and firm discipline that usually includes spanking.
Spanking isn't appropriate for all personalities, ages and situations. My older sister and I required hundreds of spankings while my baby sister responded just as well to light verbal consternation.
One day after I was particularly bad, Mom asked me to choose between spanking and restriction. I quickly chose spanking, and from then on she gave me restriction. I learned from that.
All too soon our children will grow up and enter the real world. Those who learned self-control, obedience and respect as children will be head and shoulders above their peers and will one day thank the parents who trained them up in the way they should go.

Also on Franklin County Times
County school board adopts $52M budget
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
September 17, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE Franklin County Schools has adopted a $52 million budget for fiscal year 2026, reflecting a $2.5 million increase over last year. The bud...
Judge denies YO status for Phinizee
Main, News, Z - News Main
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
September 17, 2025
FLORENCE — Youthful offender status was denied Tuesday for a 17-year-old charged with the death of a 13-yearold during what authorities said was a rob...
RCS passes $43.3M budget
Main, News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
September 17, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- The city school board has approved a $43.3 million budget for the 2025-26 school year. Chief Financial Officer Lisa Witt said revenues...
Program tackles stress of caregiver burnout
News, Records, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
September 17, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- Many people deal with caregiver burnout. Kids and Kin childcare partner Marquita Wilson presented a program at the Russellville Public...
Flavil Wayne McCaig
Obituaries
September 17, 2025
Flavil Wayne McCaig Sept. 12, 2025   Flavil Wayne McCaig, 82, of Russellville, passed away Sept. 12 at his residence. He was born March 3, 1943, to Au...
Cultura Garden Club begins its year with roses and plans for fall
Columnists, News, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
September 17, 2025
The Cultura Garden Club held its first meeting of the year. President Cheri McCain presided. She provided information on projects and programs for the...
We can’t afford to lose electric vehicle industry
Columnists, Opinion
September 17, 2025
In Alabama, we understand what it means to build things that matter. We’ve long been home to builders and winners – our steel won wars and built the s...
Firefighters, cadets honor 9/11 with stair climbs
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
September 17, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE – Firefighters and RHS JROTC cadets participated in a stair climb in recognition of the 24th anniversary of 9-11. Sgt. Grant Tarascou and...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *