Dr. Spock and Spanking Kids

by dobby 19 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  dobby

  There have been several posts about the way witnesses discipline their kids lately, this prompts me to ask...

  Has anyone had the "Dr Spock quote" thrown in their face by a witness? I have heard witnesses throw this about for years, but cannot honestly remember ever seeing it in print. And I have never read any of Dr. Spock's books. Has anyone been told the following by a witness:

  "Dr. Spock said you shouldn't spank your kids then later he recanted that statement claiming his advice contributed to a generation of juvenile delinquents"

  I swear I have heard this used by witnesses more than once, recently a witness friend used it on me. Has anyone heard this or do you know if Dr. Spock really said it? Witnesses quote this like it is the stone cold truth, but I doubt if any of them have ever read his books.

  One thing is for sure, the generations born in the 50's and 60's and raised on Dr. Spock's advice are among those responsible for the civil rights movement, women's liberation, the advancement of technology, environmental consciousness, etc that have made our place a better world.

  It's just like a witness to ignore that and claim they are all a bunch of juvies - that rock 'n' roll music is what's to blame, all that gyrating!
• 

  Incense_and_Peppermints

  first of all, why would they care what dr. spock, a worldy person thinks? more lies by the jw's to justify their behavior.

  i have the book: dr. spock's baby and child care (50th anniversary edition - 1995), and here's what he says about spanking:

  "There are several reasons to avoid physical punishment. It teaches children that the larger, stronger person has the power to get his way, whether or not he is in the right. Some spanked children then feel quite justified in beating up on smaller ones. The American tradition of spanking may be one reason there is much more violence in our country than in any other comparable nation...."

  too much to type, but he goes on to say that adults don't spank each other i.e. a boss reprimanding an employee, etc. so why should we spank our children? he also says that he knew of many children who grew up to be model citizens and were great kids throughout their lives who had never been hit.

  from a website about dr. spock:

  So please clarify that Dr. Spock, in recent years, was absolutely opposed to physical punishment of children, and be careful not to undermine one of our greatest and most influential allies.

  In addition, Dr. Spock was a member of the EPOCH-USA Board of Directors right up until the time of his death. Thus, he was so strongly committed to never, ever hitting children, that he loaned his name in support of the no-hitting cause!

  Robert Fathman, Ph.D., Co-Chair
  EPOCH-USA

  Photo credit Comstock, Inc.
  If we are ever to turn toward a kindlier society and a safer world, a revulsion against the physical punishment of children would be a good place to start.
  - Dr. Spock
• 

  ItsJustlittleoldme

  That's illogical -- Oops, sorry, wrong Spock!

  Continue on, I agree, NEVER EVER HIT A CHILD FOR ANY REASON!!!!
• 

  CaptainSchmideo

  This has always been a sore spot with me. Especially at the WT study. Some illiterate whose only reading fare are the Society Pub.s and the TV Guide will expound like an expert while simply parroting the paragraph. In this case, the "Dr. Spock" recantation.

  Let's put the matter to rest. In one of his more recent books, Spock categorically denied ever publicly apologizing for ruining a generation of kids. It simply never happened.

  Here is what happened. During the late sixties, the anti-war movement was gaining momentum. One of the more prominent participants was Dr. Spock. Hey, what better advocate for speaking out to prevent the needless deaths of thousands of young men than the Doc who helped so many moms raise them?

  This did not sit well with the "establishment". The Right Reverend Norman Vincent Peale (emphasis on "the Right"), in his newspaper column, provided parents with a scapegoat for why their teenagers had turned into "long-haired, hippy, dope-smoking, draft-dodging, free-loving peaceniks." It was all the fault of that darn old Dr. Spock, he made parents too lenient with their kids, and now we have this generation of agitators.

  Soon after that, the late, great Spiro Agnew, vice president to Richard Nixon, (two honest, law-abiding representatives of "the establshment") took the text of this article, and used it as a major point is political speeches around the country.

  Hence, the accusation becomes "fact": Dr. Spock was responsible for a nation of brats. The story that he apologized was a tacked on urban legend.

  Dr. Spock, in fact, never apologized for anything of the kind. His book is still a best seller world wide.

  What many people dont't realize now is how revolutionary his ideas about child rearing were, especially in 1946.

  "Trust yourself, you know more than you think you do." Simple advice that helped a lot of moms.

  His views on child correction were seen as permissive, and probably are still seen that way by many JW's who are quick with the old "Rod of Correction."

  So, when the Society tells this anecdote, they are really paraphrasing N.V.Peale, a member of Christendom. And they don't even bother to show the reference; Those plagiarists!
• 

  Beck_Melbourne

  hi dobby

  When I was a dub....we were never encouraged to investigate alternate methods of discipline. What used to exist within the congregations where I associated was a culture where discipline was administered by heads of the congregation and would later be used as examples to follow. It was not unusual for certain elders to give talks about child rearing or presiding over one's household. Usually these elders were the ones who had 'exemplary' family members. It would be these elders who would become role models for the rest of the flock, and not ONE such brother would encourage external reading sources.

  Thats my experience in dubdom....and any sister (it was usually a sister) who dared to read external material was always considered to be spiritually weak and lacking in faith. None of us wanted this type of reputation...and so most I knew conformed.

  Beck
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  Satanus

  Bravo captain, for putting that urban legend to rest.

  SS
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  DakotaRed

  What's the difference between picking up the borgs books and reading how to live your life and reading Spocks book to live your life? Why do so many depend on having self proclaimed experts to tell them how to live instead of using the good sense that God gave you?

  Lew W
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  Incense_and_Peppermints

  Dr. Spock, in fact, never apologized for anything of the kind. His book is still a best seller world wide.

  dr. spock kicks a$$!
• 

  Satanus

  Dakota

  The wt would like everyone to trust them totally on all matters. You use you mind, and pick and choose what you like from the bible. The difference, the way i see it, is that many sources of child raising info can be considered. It's like shopping at different stores to get the best quality/deal.

  SS
• 

  DakotaRed

  The reason I "pick and choose" what I like from the Bible, as you say, is that I do use the good sense God gave me. Same thing in raising my daughters. I didn't need Spock or any other PhD to tell me what to do. I just did everything opposite of what my abusive parents did and know what? I have two well adjusted wonderful and lovely daughters married to two great guys. On rare occassions, they got spanked. By and large other methods were used, corners, time out, talks, groundings, what have you. But, I was consistent.

  The key is consistency in what manner you use, not reading a new book every other week. And yes, I agree that spanking can and often does get over used and becomes ineffective. But, each child is different and no one manner of discipline works on every child. But, whatever manner a parent uses, never belittle the child and always show them tons of love. I never felt love growing up and made sure my daughters felt it and knew they were loved, with absolutely no help from the Watchtower or ones like Dr. Spock.

  The way I see it, turning to someone else to read how to raise your kids is little more than letting them raise your kids. You just become the proxy. But, to each their own.

  Lew W