Originally posted on 12/19/2012:
I agree completely but I would add proper discipline in with perspective. I firmly believe children in the past might have done the same things as now with different tools of course, but were afraid/respected their parents enough not to do so. Fear and respect imo are not that different. I know my children fear making me mad by doing something they shouldn't but I would like to think it is a healthy fear that they will be able to use as they become older. Fear of losing your job so you work hard, fear of not being able to provide for your family you want to have some day so you study in school, etc.
We have taught people that children being fearful is a bad thing, it isn't necessarily as long as it is a health fear. Time outs, counting to 3, taking away the computer, tv, etc do no good in the long haul. Most kids aren't afraid of those things. Some of the worst moments in my life were when my dad spanked me. Not because he beat me in any way, shape, or form but because I had let him down to the point where I had done something bad enough that I deserved it.
Now, in most conversations in would come the parents that would say ohhh spanking your children is so bad you will hurt their self esteem, you will permanently scar them emotionally, you will upset them. Well damn right you will upset them, that's part of being a parent. You upset your children on a regular basis, you tell them no, you teach them right from wrong, you damn well do not let them treat you like shit and then later wonder why they have no respect for anyone else. Maybe I am making it too black and white, but I see it every day in the youth organizations I work with. You KNOW which kids are disciplined at home and which ones aren't.