Tuesday, August 24, 2010

What do you hope to find when searching for a birth/first parent?

For those who did, was it a success?What do you hope to find when searching for a birth/first parent?
Very much what Heather stated.


My truth - my origin - my story.


The stuff that only my family of origin could give me.


Also - to finally see others that looked like me, talk like me %26amp; have talents like me.





Yes - I've been successful in gaining all of that - finally.


I no longer feel so much like a stranger in a foreign land.





It would have been nice to have it my entire life - like every 'real' kid (non adopted) is allowed to have.





What do you hope to find when searching for a birth/first parent?
I want to know my story, and I want to be able to share it with my kids. It doesn't matter to me what kind of story I find, I want to know it, even if it is horrible. The icing on the cake would be to find a great person who I connect with at the end of the search. I would hope for that but I don't necessarily expect it. But my main purpose is to find and preserve my history before it is too late.





(Disclaimer- I'd also like to add that I have had a great life with my adoptive parents. This has nothing to do with trying to replace them or being unhappy with them)
I just wanted some health information. I found my birth mother through the state's registry. I found out much more. Including my heritage was not what I thought it was, many great family stories and a great feeling knowing that I was able to tell her that I don't hold anything against her. We live very far away from each other, but write, email and sometimes talk on the phone. It's a really slow process, but I am really glad that I found her. She was also able to tell me a little bit about my birth father, although I haven't gotten him to contact me. I've heard the horror stories though. I was lucky.
I hoped to find truth, a relationship, a family, for my children to know their biological roots too.





The first reunion with my family was an absolute mess. A lot of hurt still existed on all sides of the equation. It became too much and I dropped out of sight. I recently re-reunited with my sister, and so far so good.
i just wanted to know where i came from, like real kids know.





it was successful in the sense that i found. she won't give me a medical history though.





but i also found 17 siblings. so if you think of it as ';success'; to find them all, and then find out you were the only one that wasn't kept, it really sucked.
I hoped to find a body with a pulse. I had no idea if my daughter was still alive or not. Compliments of a closed adoption.





In reunion for 9 years now. Yeah I think we're successful.
To see if my mother would like the person I had grown up to be, and to see if she missed me.





As for your second question, I don't know - haven't gone back yet. :P
I'm the firstmom and I wanted to find out if she was healthy and happy. Our reunion is a success.
The truth.





Yes, I found the truth of my origins = success!
  • makeup help
  • Are you a bad parent if you decide to spank your child as a form of discipline?

    All other options have been exhausted, time outs didn't work, taking away priviliges didn't work, talking to them didn't work so what else is there to do? Spanking is not child abuse, it is a form of discipline, take the military for example. If a soldier is out of line, many times they punish him by making him do physical things, such as push ups. A spank is nothing more than push ups to a soldier, it is a form of discipline that is not abuse or mistreatment. This new generation of kids is growing to be disrespectful and destructive because parents don't take responsibility and the ones that do are acused of child abuse for a simple spank and have to live through an ordeal of having their children taken away. So what is the solution?Are you a bad parent if you decide to spank your child as a form of discipline?
    Why do we listen to ';educators'; ';psychologist'; and the like? Parents are who they are, have been for several 10-thousands of years. Children understand full well why a normally loving mommy is hopping mad. They see the crash coming. It is part of their normal growing up, a necessary test of wills.





    Most will agree: abuse is REALLY bad. So this is not the subject. Some of my successful (and fondly remembered) kindergarten teachers and ';educators'; had no degrees, no formal education, and some had a short fuse. Other idiots on the other hand, who found it necessary to lecture/ interfere with the upbringing of our children and grandchildren, in the name of a Psychology Degree, were just that ';idiots';.





    I believe that 90% of parents know exactly how to effectively 'discipline' a pest. And 95% really do love their children. So, leave normal parents alone, let them do what they do, what their parents, grand parents, and ancestors have done for centuries.





    Who is so conceited to believe the world has found a fundamentally NEW, in fact the ONLY way to bring up a small child? This, somewhere around 1968, at Harvard and UC Berkeley.Are you a bad parent if you decide to spank your child as a form of discipline?
    whatever you do, do not spank our of anger. if you need to spank, cool off, and then when you are calm, take your child and spank on the butt. then you will be respected a heck of alot more from your child and society by spanking with care. good luck!
    I don't believe spanking your child makes you a bad parent. I don't believe in spanking for every bad thing a child does, but as a last resort or for something very serious (i.e. they try to run or do run out in the street, try to grab a sharp knife etc).





    Some children don't listen to anything other than a spanking. As long as you aren't bruising or spanking other places other than their rump, I don't see the problem.
    I wouldn't say its a bad thing to do it's just a way of disciplining.


    Everyone has their own methods.





    Personally I do not spank my children I have a method where I notice and praise them for all their good behaviour and ignore their bad behaviour unless it is causing harm to themselves, others or objets in which case I would tell them to stop and explain why, and if they didnt listen I would put them in time out to hink anbout it, or for an older child removing privilages such as watching tv or playing out works well.





    Each to their own I say..








    Although I do think that if you are spanking your child as a punishment for soing something bad then they might think it is alright to hit you or someone else for doing something they dont like....
    i spank my children, its how sever you spank them if i child abuse.
    Spank your kids but don't go over board with it. Because talking don't always help. Discipline is the best thing to do and it'll help your child in the future.
    if you are consistent with discipline, it works, and it is not the same, have your child do push ups then, if you think it's the same, we don't spank criminals do we?
    We have 4 children, ranging in ages from 9 all the way to 6 months. We have never used any sort of physical discipline at all on any of our children. From the time they could understand directions, we have given all our children several jobs around the house. I think this makes them feel a part of the big picture. My oldest folds laundry, helps cook dinner, cleans, dusts, etc.. Our 2 year old picks up toys, helps put clothes into the dryer, puts clothes away in the drawer, etc... No, they don't always do it the way I would, but the point is, it teaches them responsibility. When our children have tested their bounderies and made bad choices, they receive a negative consequence directly related to their action. For example, if I ask my 5 year old to clean her room so we can go to the park, and she procrastinates, well then she doesn't get to go to the park. We also take privileges away. Our children are respectful and are expected to say ';yes M'am'; and ';yes sir'; to all adults. They are taught that their family is first before friends. We limit their TV to only being allowed to view it after age 3, and only 1 hour total per day of PBS. One only needs to turn on any of those other channels and wonder why children are so disrespectful! I believe that children who are disrespectful towards their parents do so because they were not taught at a very young age that its not acceptable. Unfortunately, I also think a lot of children are craving attention from their parents that maybe they are not getting enough of. Our children are not perfect, nor would we want them to be. But we can go out anywhere and know they are well-behaved. They receive compliments all the time and when this happens, I always reward them with something small such as extra time to stay up, etc... The point is, everyone can raise their children the way they chose. But we all have consequences for our actions as well and I feel that if you chose physical discipline to punish children instead of TEACHING them as a baby what is expected in your home, then you will also have to deal with what happens later on when the child resents the parents or becomes more and more sneaky to get away with something.
    I think if you will watch the Nanny show you will learn how to do time outs properly and other techniques so that spanking won't be necessary! Consistancy is the key. I've learned that you don't need to spank or yell by watching the show! I applaud you for making your child mind, but it would be better for you both if you didn't have to spank. Good Luck with it!
    I am from a very traditional African family so spanking was the way I was disciplined. I never got hurt by my parents neither did I feel mistreated in any way. It was as simple as I do something stupid and I get punished for it. Later, my mother tried all sorts of other punishments e.g. time-outs and withholding allowances and no tv for my younger brothers but nothing ever worked as well as a good old-fashioned spanking and in the end she always went back to it. I feel I am a better person for it, especially because I am the hard-headed kind. I don't hate or resent my mother for spanking me, in fact, it makes me love her even more that she moulded my character from an early age and that she did what she had to do to make me the responsible person I am today. So don't feel bad for doing it, but at the same time, know when enough spanking is enough, you don't want to go overboard into the cruel and unusual punishment territory and some things don't warrant a complete spanking, just a good pinch of the ears or cheeks. And never hit the child's head. But I think you are a great parent if you discipline your child and not let them run wild like the mollycoddled kids of these days.





    BTW, I turned out ok, I am in an Ivy League school and I speak 9 languages and I never ever lie. And I love my mommy :-)
    no, you're not a bad parent if you spank your child. it isn't child abuse. not all kids are the same. some kids are very easy and some aren't.it drives me nuts when some are very free with thier advice and assume that all kids can and should be disciplined the same. it's a last resort but sometimes it has to be done. i know for a fact that even some police officers are fed up with the crap thats going on now. some kids are now calling the cops on their parents for a swat on the butt. it's crazy. a local deputy once told my kid's'; guess what? if mom and dad want to spank your butt, they can'; (my kids we're about 13%26amp;11 at the time.)i say, as long as it's with the hand, do what you need to do.
    I hate spanking, but it's far better than no discipline at all. I like the idea of making kids do push-ups. In a few years, my husband (Army) will probably do just that!
    It sounds like you've already decided spanking is okay. It is better not to spank but is a lot more work, as well as time-consuming. It takes patience to place a toddler in timeout 12 times instead of spanking. Be consistent. Spanking teaches a child that hitting is a solution. If you want them to join the military or be a bully, I guess that works.
    it depends how old they r. if they r little kids like little 5 year olds or something like that it is appropriate because pain will make them think ';will i want to do that again'; but if their older like 13 taking privalleges away is way worse(trust me im 15).if they speak badly give them soap.
    The solution isn't spanking, it's parenting. Time outs are a great form of parenting, however most parents give in way too easily, or don't do them at all, they merely tell their kid that they're bad, and I'm sorry but negative attention is still attention, kids don't understand.





    They could also make them do pushups, that seems logical.





    However spanking does nothing, you're taking your frustration out on your kid. Also when the kids grow up they'll have spanking fetishes, which you can see by the prevalence of spanking fetishes in areas where spanking is still done by parents and schools, versus places where it doesn't happen. I mean seriously let your kids develop sexually on their own, rather than when they jerk off with a sore *** and get associative behaviour ingrained in their being.





    So spanking is a terrible option, it's nothing more than a frustrated parent not doing their job yet again. It didn't work before(lets face it the boomers were screwed up too and a lot of them got spanked), instead we need parenting. We need a way to teach people how to parent well, and how to show their kids boundaries so that the kids can stop seeking them.





    We need parental education, to show sperm and egg donors how to raise a child and be a father and mother.
    Not necessarily, as long as it is NEVER EVER meted out when angry. My 10 year old son has only been spanked about 5 times in his life, and those were after there was a series of events, consequences, leading up to the spanking.





    Don't threaten to spank, or any other form of punishment, and then not follow through.





    When my son broke a serious safety or respect rule, he was given the opportunity to explain himself, had to write a note to illustrate that he understood what he did. Then he was given a warning, if it happened again then this privelege would be taken away for this amount of time. If it happened after that next punishment, he would be spanked.





    Spankings are then handled as a HUGE event, with him having to come into the living room, getting a swat on the bare bottom. The build up to the actual spanking is worse than the hit itself; he knows we will not spank except in very few circumstances and he avoids them nearly always (it has been 2 years since the last occurence). At 10, I think we are beyond spanking so we will take away team sports events instead. But the spanking is an effective tool if used very sparingly and only when fairly forewarned.





    And ALWAYS follow a spank with a hug and a brief talk about how you love him/her and don't want to spank again, repeat the rule broken and have him/her promise to not break that rule again.
    NO. NOT AT ALL. and do not listen to any one who says different
    You sound like you've already made up your mind on the issue, but I do not think spanking (done properly) is child abuse. I have heard the argument that spanking doesn't work because you have to spank more and more. In my case it was EXACTLY the opposite. I spanked a couple of times when my daughter was little and was CONSISTENT about it (not just spanking her when I got mad - but using it as a last resort punishment in a series of steps). She hasn't had to be spanked in years and years and is a very well-behaved young lady. Good luck (and BE CONSISTENT!) :)
    By all means spank if necessary. Do not abuse. Spare the rod, spoil the child.
    ';A spank is nothing more than push ups to a soldier,..'; are you kidding me?





    You wanna make your kid run laps, climb walls, do pushups, go ahead. But do not for one moment insult us by assuming that we are all so ignorant and blind as to believe that excercise is remotely similar to hitting/spanking your child.





    Give me a break.





    You do not see managers ';spank'; their employees for poor behavior, you do not see the military ';spanking'; soldiers, and when a spouse ';spanks'; another spouse as a form of discipline it's DOMESTIC ABUSE. So why is it okay to do it to children? I just don't get that.
    Spanking should never be used as a first option, But if all else fails then you have to do some thing don't you.





    I don't see any thing wrong with a spanking.





    discipline works in levels and you teach your child by using every level to obey your laws first of all, and the laws of the land.





    Most countries have different levels of punishment for those who bend the law and so should parents.
    NO YOU ARE A BAD PARENT IF YOU DECIDE NOT TO (in my opinion) spanking is a very thin line legally. the police say it is legal but DCS says it is child abuse you need to be very careful treading that line. I believe spanking is a necessary evil to properly raise a child into a responsible productive member of society. if you choose to spank always remember on the bottom only and no more than 3 swats with your hand oh and don't hit while you are angry ( these are all dcs rules where i live)
    That's what the producers of supernanny want you to think, then they get a new episode.





    The bible says not ot spare the rod of discipline. Could his just be 'figurative' as discipline in general? Well, I was spanked. I'm not mean and sadistic. I respect authority, I pay my bills, I'm not a man-whore, I don't smoke or do drugs. I'm not abusive to my wife.





    People who say spanking leads to all those things are just making excuses for their own shortcomings.





    As long as you do it with love and understanding that they are little people who'll one day choose your nursing home.
    whack away!
    No, I always spanked my kids, but only when needed, and I done it out of love.
    NO and I repeat NO you are by no means a bad parent. kids today are so disrespectful. I mean when i was growing up my mom hit me but not my step dad. He refused to hit a girl. I had to babysit these two 6 y.olds. They can be so bratty and when the one kid didn't get what she wanted she started flipping out. Her mum asked us what she should do. We told her, hit her. Mum didn't believe in it. When her mum left I told her straight up, kid you know my mum would have spanked me for what you just did. And I talked to her lk an adult I said don't you do this again, i mean it. so you really have to be tough with them and I mean, they are kids, your smarter than they are, so act it.
    I totally agree.You don't have to kill the kid or beat him...a simple tap on the rear or hand isn't going to kill them. Everyone's views are diff. on this, but I grew up getting my a*s tore up. I am just fine.


    As long as you don't beat the kid I don't understand this whole thing. All the people making these laws majority of them had to have grown up in a home that spanked. Back then it was considered ';okay';. Now its abuse. The times are diff. in so many ways and look at the violence and bs going down.


    Its ridiculous that a parent cant make the decision now-a-days on whether to spank their own kids or not. Its sad to me!


    Personally, I wish I would have raised my children back in a simpler time.
    I agree. Solution: spank people that think its child abuse.
    Honestly I don't know either. I agree with you 100 percent. I do believe in spanking a child, not beating but spanking. AND YES...THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. I know there are going to be many comments from those out there ridiculing this method of punishment, but it does work. When I was a child I didn't back talk, I wasn't disrespectful, and I did well in school. Now, all people have are excuses with NO consequences for their child's actions. Children learn this, after all if they know they can get away with something they will continue to do it. And what happens as they grow up...with no consequence their behavior becomes more and more severe. All these people THINK that they do know is that spanking is bad, but they have no alternative that actually works. Years ago when it was acceptable we didn't have near as many problems out of children that we have today.
    no
    Personally I don't believe in spanking a child because its just like teaching them a form of violence or teaching them that its okay to hit someone.


    Thats not cool.

    I am the noncustodial parent but am able to claim my son . Is there ANY WAY I can claim Head of Household?

    Ex wife signed 8332 allowing me to claim son as an exemtion. I do not have my son more than 6 months of the year, but am wondering if there is any other tax code I am missing that would allow me to claim HOHI am the noncustodial parent but am able to claim my son . Is there ANY WAY I can claim Head of Household?
    No, you cannot claim. The following is from IRS pub 501. The last paragraph takes away your exemption:





    Head of Household


    You may be able to file as head of household if you meet all the following requirements.





    You are unmarried or “considered unmarried” on the last day of the year.





    You paid more than half the cost of keeping up a home for the year.





    A “qualifying person” lived with you in the home for more than half the year (except for temporary absences, such as school). However, if the “qualifying person” is your dependent parent, he or she does not have to live with you. See Special rule for parent, later, under Qualifying Person.I am the noncustodial parent but am able to claim my son . Is there ANY WAY I can claim Head of Household?
    If your son qualifies as your dependent, then you can claim head of household.
    Not unless you have a dependent relative who DID live with you more than half the year, or you can claim a parent as a dependent - a parent is the only relative who does NOT have to live with you for over half the year, but still qualify you to file as Head of Household.





    You do not qualify to file as head of household because your son is a dependent, since he didn't live with you for over half the year.





    See IRS Publication 17, page 23 for a table showing who is a qualifying person for you to file as head of household. You can download it at irs.gov
    i think even if you have ur son less than 6 months u have to claim him for atleast 6 months.





    for furthur clarifications go through these tax efiling sites. good luck

    What do you hope to find when searching for a birth/first parent?

    For those who did, was it a success?What do you hope to find when searching for a birth/first parent?
    Very much what Heather stated.


    My truth - my origin - my story.


    The stuff that only my family of origin could give me.


    Also - to finally see others that looked like me, talk like me %26amp; have talents like me.





    Yes - I've been successful in gaining all of that - finally.


    I no longer feel so much like a stranger in a foreign land.





    It would have been nice to have it my entire life - like every 'real' kid (non adopted) is allowed to have.





    What do you hope to find when searching for a birth/first parent?
    I want to know my story, and I want to be able to share it with my kids. It doesn't matter to me what kind of story I find, I want to know it, even if it is horrible. The icing on the cake would be to find a great person who I connect with at the end of the search. I would hope for that but I don't necessarily expect it. But my main purpose is to find and preserve my history before it is too late.





    (Disclaimer- I'd also like to add that I have had a great life with my adoptive parents. This has nothing to do with trying to replace them or being unhappy with them)
    I just wanted some health information. I found my birth mother through the state's registry. I found out much more. Including my heritage was not what I thought it was, many great family stories and a great feeling knowing that I was able to tell her that I don't hold anything against her. We live very far away from each other, but write, email and sometimes talk on the phone. It's a really slow process, but I am really glad that I found her. She was also able to tell me a little bit about my birth father, although I haven't gotten him to contact me. I've heard the horror stories though. I was lucky.
    I hoped to find truth, a relationship, a family, for my children to know their biological roots too.





    The first reunion with my family was an absolute mess. A lot of hurt still existed on all sides of the equation. It became too much and I dropped out of sight. I recently re-reunited with my sister, and so far so good.
    i just wanted to know where i came from, like real kids know.





    it was successful in the sense that i found. she won't give me a medical history though.





    but i also found 17 siblings. so if you think of it as ';success'; to find them all, and then find out you were the only one that wasn't kept, it really sucked.
    I hoped to find a body with a pulse. I had no idea if my daughter was still alive or not. Compliments of a closed adoption.





    In reunion for 9 years now. Yeah I think we're successful.
    To see if my mother would like the person I had grown up to be, and to see if she missed me.





    As for your second question, I don't know - haven't gone back yet. :P
    I'm the firstmom and I wanted to find out if she was healthy and happy. Our reunion is a success.
    The truth.





    Yes, I found the truth of my origins = success!

    Are you a bad parent if you decide to spank your child as a form of discipline?

    All other options have been exhausted, time outs didn't work, taking away priviliges didn't work, talking to them didn't work so what else is there to do? Spanking is not child abuse, it is a form of discipline, take the military for example. If a soldier is out of line, many times they punish him by making him do physical things, such as push ups. A spank is nothing more than push ups to a soldier, it is a form of discipline that is not abuse or mistreatment. This new generation of kids is growing to be disrespectful and destructive because parents don't take responsibility and the ones that do are acused of child abuse for a simple spank and have to live through an ordeal of having their children taken away. So what is the solution?Are you a bad parent if you decide to spank your child as a form of discipline?
    Why do we listen to ';educators'; ';psychologist'; and the like? Parents are who they are, have been for several 10-thousands of years. Children understand full well why a normally loving mommy is hopping mad. They see the crash coming. It is part of their normal growing up, a necessary test of wills.





    Most will agree: abuse is REALLY bad. So this is not the subject. Some of my successful (and fondly remembered) kindergarten teachers and ';educators'; had no degrees, no formal education, and some had a short fuse. Other idiots on the other hand, who found it necessary to lecture/ interfere with the upbringing of our children and grandchildren, in the name of a Psychology Degree, were just that ';idiots';.





    I believe that 90% of parents know exactly how to effectively 'discipline' a pest. And 95% really do love their children. So, leave normal parents alone, let them do what they do, what their parents, grand parents, and ancestors have done for centuries.





    Who is so conceited to believe the world has found a fundamentally NEW, in fact the ONLY way to bring up a small child? This, somewhere around 1968, at Harvard and UC Berkeley.Are you a bad parent if you decide to spank your child as a form of discipline?
    whatever you do, do not spank our of anger. if you need to spank, cool off, and then when you are calm, take your child and spank on the butt. then you will be respected a heck of alot more from your child and society by spanking with care. good luck!
    I don't believe spanking your child makes you a bad parent. I don't believe in spanking for every bad thing a child does, but as a last resort or for something very serious (i.e. they try to run or do run out in the street, try to grab a sharp knife etc).





    Some children don't listen to anything other than a spanking. As long as you aren't bruising or spanking other places other than their rump, I don't see the problem.
    I wouldn't say its a bad thing to do it's just a way of disciplining.


    Everyone has their own methods.





    Personally I do not spank my children I have a method where I notice and praise them for all their good behaviour and ignore their bad behaviour unless it is causing harm to themselves, others or objets in which case I would tell them to stop and explain why, and if they didnt listen I would put them in time out to hink anbout it, or for an older child removing privilages such as watching tv or playing out works well.





    Each to their own I say..








    Although I do think that if you are spanking your child as a punishment for soing something bad then they might think it is alright to hit you or someone else for doing something they dont like....
    i spank my children, its how sever you spank them if i child abuse.
    Spank your kids but don't go over board with it. Because talking don't always help. Discipline is the best thing to do and it'll help your child in the future.
    if you are consistent with discipline, it works, and it is not the same, have your child do push ups then, if you think it's the same, we don't spank criminals do we?
    We have 4 children, ranging in ages from 9 all the way to 6 months. We have never used any sort of physical discipline at all on any of our children. From the time they could understand directions, we have given all our children several jobs around the house. I think this makes them feel a part of the big picture. My oldest folds laundry, helps cook dinner, cleans, dusts, etc.. Our 2 year old picks up toys, helps put clothes into the dryer, puts clothes away in the drawer, etc... No, they don't always do it the way I would, but the point is, it teaches them responsibility. When our children have tested their bounderies and made bad choices, they receive a negative consequence directly related to their action. For example, if I ask my 5 year old to clean her room so we can go to the park, and she procrastinates, well then she doesn't get to go to the park. We also take privileges away. Our children are respectful and are expected to say ';yes M'am'; and ';yes sir'; to all adults. They are taught that their family is first before friends. We limit their TV to only being allowed to view it after age 3, and only 1 hour total per day of PBS. One only needs to turn on any of those other channels and wonder why children are so disrespectful! I believe that children who are disrespectful towards their parents do so because they were not taught at a very young age that its not acceptable. Unfortunately, I also think a lot of children are craving attention from their parents that maybe they are not getting enough of. Our children are not perfect, nor would we want them to be. But we can go out anywhere and know they are well-behaved. They receive compliments all the time and when this happens, I always reward them with something small such as extra time to stay up, etc... The point is, everyone can raise their children the way they chose. But we all have consequences for our actions as well and I feel that if you chose physical discipline to punish children instead of TEACHING them as a baby what is expected in your home, then you will also have to deal with what happens later on when the child resents the parents or becomes more and more sneaky to get away with something.
    I think if you will watch the Nanny show you will learn how to do time outs properly and other techniques so that spanking won't be necessary! Consistancy is the key. I've learned that you don't need to spank or yell by watching the show! I applaud you for making your child mind, but it would be better for you both if you didn't have to spank. Good Luck with it!
    I am from a very traditional African family so spanking was the way I was disciplined. I never got hurt by my parents neither did I feel mistreated in any way. It was as simple as I do something stupid and I get punished for it. Later, my mother tried all sorts of other punishments e.g. time-outs and withholding allowances and no tv for my younger brothers but nothing ever worked as well as a good old-fashioned spanking and in the end she always went back to it. I feel I am a better person for it, especially because I am the hard-headed kind. I don't hate or resent my mother for spanking me, in fact, it makes me love her even more that she moulded my character from an early age and that she did what she had to do to make me the responsible person I am today. So don't feel bad for doing it, but at the same time, know when enough spanking is enough, you don't want to go overboard into the cruel and unusual punishment territory and some things don't warrant a complete spanking, just a good pinch of the ears or cheeks. And never hit the child's head. But I think you are a great parent if you discipline your child and not let them run wild like the mollycoddled kids of these days.





    BTW, I turned out ok, I am in an Ivy League school and I speak 9 languages and I never ever lie. And I love my mommy :-)
    no, you're not a bad parent if you spank your child. it isn't child abuse. not all kids are the same. some kids are very easy and some aren't.it drives me nuts when some are very free with thier advice and assume that all kids can and should be disciplined the same. it's a last resort but sometimes it has to be done. i know for a fact that even some police officers are fed up with the crap thats going on now. some kids are now calling the cops on their parents for a swat on the butt. it's crazy. a local deputy once told my kid's'; guess what? if mom and dad want to spank your butt, they can'; (my kids we're about 13%26amp;11 at the time.)i say, as long as it's with the hand, do what you need to do.
    I hate spanking, but it's far better than no discipline at all. I like the idea of making kids do push-ups. In a few years, my husband (Army) will probably do just that!
    It sounds like you've already decided spanking is okay. It is better not to spank but is a lot more work, as well as time-consuming. It takes patience to place a toddler in timeout 12 times instead of spanking. Be consistent. Spanking teaches a child that hitting is a solution. If you want them to join the military or be a bully, I guess that works.
    it depends how old they r. if they r little kids like little 5 year olds or something like that it is appropriate because pain will make them think ';will i want to do that again'; but if their older like 13 taking privalleges away is way worse(trust me im 15).if they speak badly give them soap.
    The solution isn't spanking, it's parenting. Time outs are a great form of parenting, however most parents give in way too easily, or don't do them at all, they merely tell their kid that they're bad, and I'm sorry but negative attention is still attention, kids don't understand.





    They could also make them do pushups, that seems logical.





    However spanking does nothing, you're taking your frustration out on your kid. Also when the kids grow up they'll have spanking fetishes, which you can see by the prevalence of spanking fetishes in areas where spanking is still done by parents and schools, versus places where it doesn't happen. I mean seriously let your kids develop sexually on their own, rather than when they jerk off with a sore *** and get associative behaviour ingrained in their being.





    So spanking is a terrible option, it's nothing more than a frustrated parent not doing their job yet again. It didn't work before(lets face it the boomers were screwed up too and a lot of them got spanked), instead we need parenting. We need a way to teach people how to parent well, and how to show their kids boundaries so that the kids can stop seeking them.





    We need parental education, to show sperm and egg donors how to raise a child and be a father and mother.
    Not necessarily, as long as it is NEVER EVER meted out when angry. My 10 year old son has only been spanked about 5 times in his life, and those were after there was a series of events, consequences, leading up to the spanking.





    Don't threaten to spank, or any other form of punishment, and then not follow through.





    When my son broke a serious safety or respect rule, he was given the opportunity to explain himself, had to write a note to illustrate that he understood what he did. Then he was given a warning, if it happened again then this privelege would be taken away for this amount of time. If it happened after that next punishment, he would be spanked.





    Spankings are then handled as a HUGE event, with him having to come into the living room, getting a swat on the bare bottom. The build up to the actual spanking is worse than the hit itself; he knows we will not spank except in very few circumstances and he avoids them nearly always (it has been 2 years since the last occurence). At 10, I think we are beyond spanking so we will take away team sports events instead. But the spanking is an effective tool if used very sparingly and only when fairly forewarned.





    And ALWAYS follow a spank with a hug and a brief talk about how you love him/her and don't want to spank again, repeat the rule broken and have him/her promise to not break that rule again.
    NO. NOT AT ALL. and do not listen to any one who says different
    You sound like you've already made up your mind on the issue, but I do not think spanking (done properly) is child abuse. I have heard the argument that spanking doesn't work because you have to spank more and more. In my case it was EXACTLY the opposite. I spanked a couple of times when my daughter was little and was CONSISTENT about it (not just spanking her when I got mad - but using it as a last resort punishment in a series of steps). She hasn't had to be spanked in years and years and is a very well-behaved young lady. Good luck (and BE CONSISTENT!) :)
    By all means spank if necessary. Do not abuse. Spare the rod, spoil the child.
    ';A spank is nothing more than push ups to a soldier,..'; are you kidding me?





    You wanna make your kid run laps, climb walls, do pushups, go ahead. But do not for one moment insult us by assuming that we are all so ignorant and blind as to believe that excercise is remotely similar to hitting/spanking your child.





    Give me a break.





    You do not see managers ';spank'; their employees for poor behavior, you do not see the military ';spanking'; soldiers, and when a spouse ';spanks'; another spouse as a form of discipline it's DOMESTIC ABUSE. So why is it okay to do it to children? I just don't get that.
    Spanking should never be used as a first option, But if all else fails then you have to do some thing don't you.





    I don't see any thing wrong with a spanking.





    discipline works in levels and you teach your child by using every level to obey your laws first of all, and the laws of the land.





    Most countries have different levels of punishment for those who bend the law and so should parents.
    NO YOU ARE A BAD PARENT IF YOU DECIDE NOT TO (in my opinion) spanking is a very thin line legally. the police say it is legal but DCS says it is child abuse you need to be very careful treading that line. I believe spanking is a necessary evil to properly raise a child into a responsible productive member of society. if you choose to spank always remember on the bottom only and no more than 3 swats with your hand oh and don't hit while you are angry ( these are all dcs rules where i live)
    That's what the producers of supernanny want you to think, then they get a new episode.





    The bible says not ot spare the rod of discipline. Could his just be 'figurative' as discipline in general? Well, I was spanked. I'm not mean and sadistic. I respect authority, I pay my bills, I'm not a man-whore, I don't smoke or do drugs. I'm not abusive to my wife.





    People who say spanking leads to all those things are just making excuses for their own shortcomings.





    As long as you do it with love and understanding that they are little people who'll one day choose your nursing home.
    whack away!
    No, I always spanked my kids, but only when needed, and I done it out of love.
    NO and I repeat NO you are by no means a bad parent. kids today are so disrespectful. I mean when i was growing up my mom hit me but not my step dad. He refused to hit a girl. I had to babysit these two 6 y.olds. They can be so bratty and when the one kid didn't get what she wanted she started flipping out. Her mum asked us what she should do. We told her, hit her. Mum didn't believe in it. When her mum left I told her straight up, kid you know my mum would have spanked me for what you just did. And I talked to her lk an adult I said don't you do this again, i mean it. so you really have to be tough with them and I mean, they are kids, your smarter than they are, so act it.
    I totally agree.You don't have to kill the kid or beat him...a simple tap on the rear or hand isn't going to kill them. Everyone's views are diff. on this, but I grew up getting my a*s tore up. I am just fine.


    As long as you don't beat the kid I don't understand this whole thing. All the people making these laws majority of them had to have grown up in a home that spanked. Back then it was considered ';okay';. Now its abuse. The times are diff. in so many ways and look at the violence and bs going down.


    Its ridiculous that a parent cant make the decision now-a-days on whether to spank their own kids or not. Its sad to me!


    Personally, I wish I would have raised my children back in a simpler time.
    I agree. Solution: spank people that think its child abuse.
    Honestly I don't know either. I agree with you 100 percent. I do believe in spanking a child, not beating but spanking. AND YES...THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. I know there are going to be many comments from those out there ridiculing this method of punishment, but it does work. When I was a child I didn't back talk, I wasn't disrespectful, and I did well in school. Now, all people have are excuses with NO consequences for their child's actions. Children learn this, after all if they know they can get away with something they will continue to do it. And what happens as they grow up...with no consequence their behavior becomes more and more severe. All these people THINK that they do know is that spanking is bad, but they have no alternative that actually works. Years ago when it was acceptable we didn't have near as many problems out of children that we have today.
    no
    Personally I don't believe in spanking a child because its just like teaching them a form of violence or teaching them that its okay to hit someone.


    Thats not cool.

    Where does a single parent go to get help with financial issues?

    I WORK FULL TIME AND STRUGGLE TO PAY MY BILLS, I HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO BUY FOOD IN WEEKS AND UNABLE TO PAY MY JANUARY RENT...I WAS ALSO RECENTLY DROPPED FROM FAMILY HEALTH PLUS, THEY SAY I MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY..WHAT DOES ONE DO IF SOCIAL SERVICES DENIES YOU??Where does a single parent go to get help with financial issues?
    Community Action Agency can help with electric bill, food, and I'm sure a lot more. Local churches often run food banks and can provide temporary support (if you're LDS I've heard they have exceptionally good systems for this).





    And I mean absolutely no offense by this, but if you're working full time and can't pay rent or buy food, where is all of your money going? Perhaps a financial counselor can help you better delegate your money.Where does a single parent go to get help with financial issues?
    you can get on food stamps tan if and chip
    Well, depending on what state you live in, if you're a single parent you should be able to get some sort of assistance with groceries (it's called WIC in Missouri) depending on the ages of your children... Also, depending on what state you're in, you should be able to get some form of Medicaid for your children... I would start with the government website for your state. Usually, you can find SOME info there. Also, check out the child and family welfare department, sometimes calle DFS (division of family services)... The health and welfare of children is high priority in most states, you should be able to qualify for SOME assistance somewhere...





    Good luck!
    welfare or apply for food stamps
    If you work full time and can't get by, you are either a. not making enough money or b. spending too much money. Since the gubment cut you off, it's time to look around and figure out where all your money is going and start living within your means.
    Your local Job and Family Services, has to be able to assist you in getting help. Try community action, also if you have kids they have to off some assistance!
    Try social services they might can help. Imean they have to help you in some way surley. Ask about hud which helps pay for your rent and i think some on power. Ask about food stamps and even food bank. see if there is an angel ministeries around you it cost like 20-25 to get a good size box of food.
    If you can't get help from Public Assistant because you make too much money, here are a few tips...





    1). Downsize on your apt if you're paying too much rent


    2). Go to court and see if you can get a referral for a one-time shot for your rent to be paid if you're backed up. (Doesn't matter how much you make...If you're on the verge of being put out they will pay it)


    3). Walk places instead of using Mass Transportation





    These are different things you can do to save and also have extra money

    I need some advice on my 11 year old daughter, serious parent responses only please?

    My daughter is 11 and she started her period in December. Every since she will have a heavy flow for about 3 days then off for 2-3 days and it starts all over. It's the same cycle for the last few months. She has a dr appointment tomorrow but they already told me they suggest birth control for her. I was devestated. Is there any other way? Please help.I need some advice on my 11 year old daughter, serious parent responses only please?
    Why are you devastated to put her on the pill? What is happening to her is not good for her and her body. There is not another way and you have to do what is best for her.I need some advice on my 11 year old daughter, serious parent responses only please?
    I was only ten years old when I started my period, it was just like what you are describing and it was horrifying. Unfortunately at the time it was unheard of to put such a young girl on birth control so I had to suffer through that until I was fourteen. But now, there are so many uses for birth control such as acne, hormone regulation et cetera. Just because your daughter is going on birth control, it doesn't mean you are giving her a free pass to have unprotected sex or sex at all. I would say that this is not really for you, its for your daughter so that she doesn't have to go through what I did. It seems strange, but its worth it for her.
    Yes, if its possible for you - pls do an online search for a place near you that does an EIS Scan [Electro Interstitial Scanner] - pls look it up it will explain everything. Theres only 3 of these scanners in this country at the moment, but its very good and maybe get to the root of the problem for your daughter. Its jst a 2-3 min scan. It has helped me a great deal after being ill for many yrs.
    There probably is no other way and she needs this, because of what's going on with her. Trust me.


    Just make sure you have a talk and tell her more about birth control and if she's responsible and you trust her, don't worry. she's only eleven and i'm sure that you've parented her to make the right decisions
    Birth control has plenty of other uses. It helps people who have hormone imbalances, acne, excess body hair, irregular periods, heavy periods.. and many other things. Just don't think of it as birth control if that's what bothers you.
    birth control is the usual course of drug used to regulate periods.





    There may be other methods to use tho, depending on the cause.





    I would suggest you ask this question in women's health.. you may get better responses.
    my sister was like that when she was 9... turned out she had diabetes...
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