California Spanking Ban

Have you ever been in a store or restaurant, any public place really, and seen a child just go into a major tantrum. Maybe it's not a tantrum, maybe it just where the child is just being destructive or even dangerous and just seems to ignore their parents requests to settle down.

I don't know if it's just because I'm getting older but my tolerance for such behavior is mighty thin. I just want to shake that parent and say,

"Hey, wake up, don't be afraid to be a parent. Discipline your child! Or maybe, " Your child is about to get hurt, quit pleading with the child and take some action."

Now a days it's, more times than not all one hears is "Now johnny, please don't play with the store merchandise."

"Now Tommy, please don't' hit that nice man."

"Now Melissa, we mustn't scream at the top of our lungs because I will not buy you what you want."

There are many ways to parenting ones child and I don't profess to be a perfect parent. I've made plenty of mistakes. I thank God that my children somehow made it through perfectly fine regardless of my bone-headedness.

Spanking has been a part of that parenting tool I used, though rather infrequent.

Now I love kids and if it were in God's will for me to have more I would surely jump at the chance.

But is it just me, or does anyone else notice a change in manners among the teens and young adults.

There seems to be a level of rudeness and "me first" mentality that's prevalent in the youth of today. I don't see common courtesy and what's more I don't see it being taught (at least out in public) to the children of the young adult moms and dads. It's like they don't want to upset their children by disciplining them.

To be fair, I do know families with many children ( I mean 5, 6, 7, 8, 9...large families) where it's amazing to see how well their children are behaved. The kids take care of each other and the older ones make sure the younger ones are in-line whether it be in stores, at community gatherings, church or wherever.

Anyway, what sparked this post was an article I read this morning on a proposed ban on spanking.

CBS 5 Poll: Majority Oppose Calif. Spanking Ban

CBS 5 / KCBS) SAN FRANCISCO Do parents have the right to spank their children? It is a controversial issue, and while a Bay Area lawmaker wants it addressed in Sacramento -- a majority of those surveyed for a new CBS 5 poll

expressed opposition to a spanking ban.

I thought I'd include a great resource for parenting. Doctor Ray Guarendi is a Catholic Child Physiologist. He has a radio show as well as some books and tapes that are available.

Here's one of his books: "Discipline That Last a LIfetime"

My prayers are with today's parents. It's getting tougher and tougher in today's society.