To: State of Arkansas

From: Adrianna Duran

Date: April 10, 2016

Subject: A proposal for the State of Arkansas to promote the physical force of spanking for
children within the parents of Arkansas

I write this letter to propose a solution for the State of Arkansas to a problem that is growing out
of control all over the world. The problem being that many parents around the globe are being
run by their own children because of the fear of what society will think of them. Society tends to
see spanking as child abuse. Many people, and Im one of them, think Petersons actions were
disgusting...ignited...debate over whether its OK to hit your kid, this quote was in reference of
child abuse by Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson towards his four year old son
(Sanders). They clearly express their disgust, these types of remarks lead to parents not spanking
their children for fear of society mixing the spanking up with child abuse. As a result, the
children are in command in their households. They cry, scream, and kick to get what they want.
This is an unacceptable behavior and parents should not stand for it. Many children are in need
of a good spanking and I propose that the State of Arkansas help promote the safe idea of
spanking within parents and inform the society on the issue.

Children are rowdy and more unruly than ever before. They want every new toy or gadget that
comes out and demand it from their parents. They bully other children and are disrespectful
towards any kind of authority presented towards them. They are hurting everyone in their
immediate surroundings including themselves. Parents are unable to control their children

because they just lecture them. This does more harm than good because kids are young and do
not grasp the reasoning behind a lecture; they learn to just keep their ears open to have these
unhelpful lectures go in one ear to just have it come out of the other. Parents should instead opt
to use the physical force of spanking because it is quick and effective, promotes respect, and is
completely safe when done correctly (Jasmine). A spanking is defined as one to two hits to a
childs bottom by the parents opened hand, in a controlled environment and when is genuinely
necessary; a spanking is not harmful. Dr. Baumrind, an experienced psychologist, does not
recommend spanking however she has concluded from her studies that an occasional swat,
when delivered in the context of good child-rearing, had not been shown to do any harm. Many
studies that show a relationship between spanking and negative effects is because of the child
abuse factors in the studies. When the child abuse factors are taking away and spanking is left in
the study, the outcomes show little to no relationship between spanking and negative effects
(Goode). Nevertheless, a problem still arises from a parent spanking their own child; society's
cruel unjustified judgments. These judgments come from parents who opt out of spanking and
prefer to be their childs friend rather than parent. In some instances, criticisms even come from
people who have no children at all and do not understand parenting. Outspoken opinions from
society result in parents diving to take cover and as a consequence mean no spankings for their
children (Navarrette).

In order for this fear parents have to cease and for the children of Arkansas to be not only more
manageable for parents but also happier overall, Arkansan parents and everyone who is
concerned with spanking should know their rights. All states in the United States have similar
laws concerning child abuse some different to others but ultimately they mostly all have the same
idea. They oppose child abuse and have guidelines that determine whether a parent or guardian

has passed the line into abuse (Spanking). The State of Arkansas is no exception. They have
detailed circumstances and clearly define what is not tolerated; such as striking a childs face or
head, shaking a child under the age of three, striking a child with a closed fist, and more. They
greatly punish any being that has violated these regulations with fines up to thousands of dollars
and/or with years in prison. The State of Arkansas does not however mention an open-handed
spanking by a parent to their child for correcting purposes to be illegal (Division). Therefore a
parent has every right to do so when they deem it is needed and is used reasonably. It is in the
best of interest for Arkansans to know these regulations. Public Service announcements would
help to inform the public of this. The State of Arkansas can help spread this useful information
out by broadcasting ads on television and even air it within radios. Making brochures and
distributing them in family clinics would also be a great option to consider; such as the one
Arkansas DHS offers for Child Abuse but one geared more towards spanking (Division). Maybe
even placing ads regarding this information on big billboards on the sides of busy streets and
highways every now and then will promote spanking; everyone will see the signs clearly when
they drive by. Essentially the State of Arkansas ought to take measurements that will reach the
public's eyes and ears; to publicize the use of spanking, the guidelines, and to inform parents of
their rights.

As statistics have shown, there have been dramatic increases and decreases regarding child
spanking. In 1986 roughly 80% of parents agreed that disciplining their children via spanking
was okay and in 2014 that number dropped to roughly 70%. And the number of parents who
oppose spanking has increased from roughly 17% in 1986 to 30% in 2014 (Ferreras). If parents
know their rights when it comes to disciplining their children there is a better chance that they
will not fall into societys peer pressure to not spank their children. This way they feel more

comfortable and assured knowing that the law is on their side. Not only parents but society will
also know what is tolerated and what is not tolerated in the State of Arkansas. So society will
have no other option than to keep their rude judgments to themselves. Parenting is different and
special for each parent out there and all of them have their own distinct views that should be
respected as long as no one is endangered by them. An informed society results in spankings that
some, not all, children need. Children will be more considerate of others, are respectful towards
others, and are set on a good path; just more manageable for parents.

Parents should not shun the idea of spanking away because of their lack of knowledge on the
subject. They should not step away from their own values because of society and as a result not
be able to control their own children. The State of Arkansas ought to consider contributing to
helping parents raise productive children for the future. And sometimes a little spanking can help
that.

Works Cited
Division of Children and Family Services. Knowing the Law: Raising Children in Arkansas, A
Guide to Legal Child Discipline. Little Rock: Division of Children and Family Services,
2013. Arkansas Department of Human Services. 2013. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.
Ferreras, Jesse. Spanking Kids is Falling Out of Favor Among Parents: Data. Huffpost Living
Canada. The Huffington Post.com, Inc., 09 Mar. 2015. Web. 18 Apr. 2016
Goode, Erica. Findings Give Some Support To Advocates of Spanking. The New York Times.
The New York Times, 24 Aug. 2001. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
Jasmine. "Pros and Cons of Spanking Your Child." Parent Advice. Magazine Pro Theme on
Genesis Framework WordPress, 12 Sept. 2015. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
Navarrette, Ruben. Spanking isnt child abuse; its common sense. CNN. Cable News
Network, 18 Sept. 2014. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
Sanders, Laura. The Debate Over Spanking is Short on Science, High on Emotion. Science
News. Society for Science & the Public., 24 Sept. 2014. Web. 18 Apr. 2016
Spanking Laws. Kidjacked. 12 Point Design, 13 Nov. 2012. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.