I really can't decide how to answer this. As I'm sure everyone does, the older I became the more I thought to myself "if I ever have kids I'm raising them exactly the opposite my parents raised me." Without going into too much detail (and/or self pity) I was smacked a lot, punished dramatically for minor things, more or less raised in fear, and went through a lot of emotional abuse. My childhood wasn't all bad, and I don't want to give the impression that my parents are horrible people because they really aren't, however, I couldn't imagine ever putting my own (possibly future) children through it.
At the same time though, when I see people saying that physical discipline is unacceptable, I automatically feel as though I should defend it, and in the back of my mind I'm thinking "well I turned out ok." I was taught to be extremely respectful and as a child I always had a good sense of what was right and wrong. But then I see people whose parents never physically disciplined them and they turned out to have the same morals instilled in them, and without the emotional baggage. It's not fair to say that "kids who aren't spanked grow up to be spoiled" and it's not fair to say that "kids who are spanked are abused." I think I'm losing sight of my point though...
Basically what I was trying to say is that my parents hit me and I hated it but I still love and respect them. I wish it had been different, but it wasn't. They say that you always turn into your parents in the end... I can't see myself ever having the desire to hit anyone, let alone my children, and my biggest fear is that if I do have kids I won't know what else to do. It seems like physical discipline is such a cop-out. Instead of taking the time to talk to and teach your kids, you just smack them. But at the same time a light smack doesn't seem like such a big deal... RAH. I'm so confused.
F
uck it. I don't think I was ever on the track of making a point.
I don't know...
that's my answer. Sorry for the novel. And the late night ramblings. I'm done.