What it means to spare the rod

Re Ben Harder’s article [“When Parents Lift Their Hands,” Feb. 19]: As a teacher with 34 years’ experience, I have witnessed the downward trend in the behavior of young people, due in no small measure to the increasingly lax attitude of most parents. It is easier on the parent to go through life letting the child act as she or he pleases. Let the school be the disciplinarian!

When youngsters knew of the threat of corporal punishment, there were fewer gangs, less sass and more respect for other kids and adults. I believe that everyone should be polite to one another and spanking should be a rare, last resort. But today, the kids rule.

Why do you think our ancestors came up with the old saw, “spare the rod and spoil the child”? We’re paying the price of an overly permissive parental attitude that accepts profanity, disrespect and vulgarity.

Kids should be free to play, explore, create, investigate -- but also taught to be polite, respectful and responsible using whatever works, including the threat of an occasional swat.

PAT MCGUIRE

Pacific Palisades

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In defense of all of us ignorant parents who did spank our children: Until law enforcement officers figure out a way to make humans change undesirable behavior without using beatings and other physical violence, I don’t think spankings will ever stop among parents who have every desire to raise good human beings.

I would rather spank (not beat, there is a huge difference) my 6-year-old boy when he knowingly behaves disrespectfully or breaks rules than to have him grow up feeling that there is no reason to avoid bad behavior -- and then later in life have a law enforcement officer do it for me.

There is a window parents have in which spanking does have a positive effect on a human. The trouble is, parents miss that window. Later, when kids are older, spankings would need to be beatings to achieve the same results as a swat on the behind of a 6-year-old child.

LYDIA NAVARRO

Upland

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California law states that spanking should be “age-appropriate.” On the surface it is so ludicrous. Does that mean when a child is 6 months old it’s OK to mildly slap the child, and when a kid is 18 we can take a belt and strap him across his back? Why are we so afraid to do what so many European countries have finally done, to attempt to eliminate hitting of kids of any age?

We need to make greater attempts to redirect negative energies into positive ones. That may not be easy at times, but that is when we all need help. That is when we need an 800 number to call an ombudsman from the community to get further help. This is what they have done in 14 European countries.

It’s time we stop hitting our kids.

BENNY WASSERMAN

La Palma