Kingdom Hall Spankings

by JH 100 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Mary

  Maybe I'm in the minority, but equating spanking a child as a form of discipline, with beating them, is like comparing kissing someone with fornication. I advocate spanking children in moderation in certain circumstances, as I've seen too many bratty kids allowed to get away with murder because their parents don't discipline them. One kid at our Hall a few years ago hauled off and kicked me in the leg as hard as she could, because she wanted her mommy's attention and I was taking it away from her. Seeing as the mother wasn't about to do anything, I spanked the kid twice on the bum, and said sternly "don't you EVER kick me again." And guess what? She didn't.

  On the other hand, I feel sorry for little kids at the Hall that get spanked because they can't sit perfectly still for two hours. This is utter nonsense and I agree that they need to have a Sunday School for kids, just to make it interesting for them.

  There was this one creepy brother who was a lunatic when it came to disciplining his kids. One day, he'd let them laugh and talk and run all over the Hall and not do anything, but then at the very next meeting, he'd smack them (hard) on the head, if they so much as turned their head. We found out after that he and his brain-dead wife were beating all their children so we (foolishly) told the elders thinking they would do something about it. Seeing as they just preferred to ignore it, my one friend and me phoned Social Services on them and eventually the kids were taken away and adopted into a loving "worldly" home.

  The elders were furious with us but we denied having anything to do it. Seeing as there wasn't "two witnesses" to the telelphone call we made, there's nothing they could do about it.
• 

  TresHappy

  Why is it all of us ex Jw's remember the spanking the children the most? Why is it every summer at the conventions, I would see and hear parents become child abusers in the halls and bathrooms. And nothing was ever done! I will remember this like it was yesterday. I hated those people who did that!
• 

  sandy

  My siblings and I were hardly ever hit. Just my parents saying "stop now or I'll spank you" was usually enough to set us straight. Some of my siblings were hit more often.

  We were always fighting with each other. My parents would ask us who started it and since we all blamed each other they would make us all line up so we could get a spanking but they hardly ever went through with it. We would be standing there all scared almost in tears, then they would ask us did you learn your lesson. We would say yes, then we were sent to our rooms. We all turned out ok. Of course the baby of the family is spoiled rotten.

  My bros. would get spanked more often. They were always fighting. More than spankings though my parents would make them verbally apologize, say "I love you" to each other and then make them hug or shake hands depending on how badly they were fighting.

  I know I will never beat my children or allow myself to hit them while I am angry.

  I work for the Department of Children and Family Services and I see too many cases of abuse everyday. It is really sad to see so many children suffering abuse of all sorts at the hands of their very own parents.
• 

  asleif_dufansdottir

  Too bad social services is swamped, or I'd suggest sending a bunch of caseworkers to conventions to watch what they do to kids.

  THAT would make a wonderful Dateline episode with hidden cameras, wouldn't it???
• 

  Witch Child

  This really would make an awesome dateline expose'
  
  I was really against spankings. I always let my baby have toys etc. I spent most meetings in the ladies room nursing him.
  
  Of course I was severely critisized for not spanking... It was endless! Finally, one meeting I took their advice. Every time my boy made too much noise or tried to leave his seat I took him in the back and swatted his butt. Halfway through the meeting I was in tears. I looked at my little guy and hugged him and said no more. I pleaded a bad migraine and we went home. I attended very rarely after that. And never let my then husband take the baby by himself.
  
  Now that the poor kid is diagnosed as autistic... and unable to sit still or stay focused for more than 15 minutes... I feel even worse about that day.
  
  
  ~Witch
• 

  bittersweet

  So many sad stories of abuse.

  I worked very hard to behave as a child, because I did not want to be spanked! My mom used to make paddles that were wide at the top, and then had a handle on the bottom. She would paint ( very beautifully mind you ) a scripture about sparing the rod spoiling the child on it. She would use this paddle to spank us if we were bad. She even made some of these wooden paddles for her friends!!! There was even a hole on the handle so you could hang it on the wall when not in use, lol!!!

  I used to get dirty looks all the time from overly righteous people when I wouldn't spank my kids at the meetings.I would spend most of the time in the babycare room, and let them play on the floor there ( of course I got dirty looks for that too ). I hated seeing little children sitting perfectly still in their seats, not because they were interested in what was being taught, but because they were frozen in fear of getting a beating if they moved a muscle. Makes me angry to this day!
• 

  Charmed

  My parent used to spank occasionally. They like to tell a story about one time when my dad was taking my older sister to the back room to get spanked and she just started screaming, "MOMMY!!! SAVE ME!!!" Everyone in the cong. was laughing I guess.

  Personally, I'm not against spanking. I'm against beating, but not spanking. However, I do think that spanking should only be used as a last resort once talkings-to and time-outs don't work. I know spankings aren't a strictly JW-thing. I have a non-JW friend who used to get spankings with switches off the rose bush in their backyard. Thankfully, my parents only used their hand.
• 

  mattnoel

  I know now that this sounds terrible but I remember sitting there with all my friends in stitches when some unruly kid got taken out for a good as you word it "Spanking". I feel so bad now I have read this thread.

  Oh and over here in the UK I also remember the fits of hysterical laughter in the youth book @ the bookstudy when the word Spanking was used - Here in the UK spanking means the slapping of the hiney but in a sexual way !
• 

  SheilaM

  Personally, I'm not against spanking. I'm against beating

  Were talking about spanking or beating children for not sitting for long periods of time. This is CHILD ABUSE. A child is not equipped to do that HELL I' wasn't either. I also played with my kids on the floor in the nursing room and boy was I unpopular LOL In fact I alwasy took Mel and Anthony into the nursing room and Mel would play while I nursed Anthony.

  I can't believe ANYONE could justify hitting an infant MY GOD how cruel. A child under two doesn't even understand it and a 4month old is supposed to be loved and held and nursed not spanked.

  My grandbaby has neve been spanked she is 11 months old and a GOOD baby. She laughs and plays and Mel has taught her No no so when she is touching something she shouldn't she says Nooo nooo noooo no LOL

  Also, my kids were well behaved but if ANYONE ever layed there hands on them I would have broke said hand. To touch a child that is not yours is horrible. If a child is kicking or hitting you the parent is the one at fault NOT the child. That child has not been taught properly. I personally would have knelt down and looked her in the eye and said "Did your Mommy not teach you not to kick people". LOL Works on the root of the problem
• 

  shamus

  Mary,

  I totally agree with you. My sister called me today, and my nephew BIT a little girl because he wanted her attention... DREW BLOOD. Well, he got a lickin' and, if anytime you deserve one, that was it.

  I also agree that being given a lickin' for not sitting for like 2 hours listening to dribble is ridiculous... especially when kids are regularly being taken into the bathroom for a beating. Why didn't they just make a room with whips and call it the discipline room? It is absolutley disgusting. Discipline of that sort needs to be done in a loving manner, only under the most extreme circumstances! And, not in a KH!!!!!!

  Disgusting.