Anonymous asked this question on 3/6/2000:
Hi,
I want an opinion from the experts in this category. If someone chooses to spank their child for discipline, do you think they should have their child taken away from them by social services? I have a friend who disciplines her child with spanking. Her child went to school one day and told a teacher that she gets spanked. The next day social services were at her door, they had her under investigation for months. They told her if she spanks and/or yells at her child it is abuse and they will come back and take this child from her. That child loves her mother and she is a good mom. She provides for her and nutures her fully. They are very close and this would distroy this child.
Do you think this is right?
NousGodess gave this response on 3/11/2000:
I recently read a report that in 1995 that from the States to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, there were more than three million reports of alleged child abuse and neglect that year. However, two million of those complaints were without foundation or false! I don't think we could find anyone who doesn't want to see all of our children live safe and happy lives. Our child protection laws, such as The Mondale Act and Megan's Law, have instigated and invited scores of anonymous and unfounded reports of abuse to be made. If you or anyone you know has been accused falsely, there is an excellent book out there called "Ashes to Ashes" by Dean Tong. I would strongly recommend you read this. Do I believe in spanking? Well, whether I do or not is irrelevant. I do believe parents have the right to teach children to respect them. My children as soon as they were in kindegarten were taught about child abuse, and to be sure and tell the teacher if they were ever hit. The thing that teachers and schools fail to tell these children is what can happen if they decide to get mad at their parents and report falsely. The first time my daughter got mad at me because I told her she couldn't do something, and she threatened to call CPS, I told her fine go ahead. But, I also told her just what would happen. I told her she and her brother would be taken out of the home and have to go live in a home with people they did not know. They would have to leave all of their belongings behind and it might be months before they were able to be back in their rooms. Interesting what happens when you give children the whole story.
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