I've been reconsidering my stance on spanking for a while now. I used to be for it, but I also see the point of using violence to teach non-violence isn't logical. I have seen non-spanking and non-violent ways of disciplining children that seem to work, but I'd need to know more long-term results. I'm fully aware those nanny shows are set up in some scenes (like, I believe people are told to confront other people at specific times, rather than on their own, for the cameras), but I'd like to know if the parents stuck with the nanny's advice, done the way she instructed, and if it continued to work. These shows aren't the only source of non-violent disciplining I'm going by; I've been re-thinking spanking since before that, but I'm mentioning them as an example others here might relate to.

A family member of mine had a brother-and-sister living with her and her husband (they weren't blood-related to her, but to her husband, and had been poorly parented and shuffled around). While they did love those kids, I disagreed with some of their disciplinary measures. They did spank, using a book (I think), and the kids were 11 and 13 when they originally got them. The kids are now in another home, because they've gotten into drugs and gotten into trouble with the law. I don't know if they had been spanked when they were younger.

I've heard it suggested that spanking can affect one's sexual identity later in life, but I don't have much research on it. Thanks, sidony and ECHOES, for those links. I'll try to check them out when I get a chance. I'm familiar with HealthyPlace.com, and they have some interesting articles.

(edited to add trigger icon)