Child Disscipline & Cultural Controversies

[Sharon Carnahan <Carnahan@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I am giving a workshop this Friday on child discipline, something I have
taught about many times.  This time, though, the audience is a group of
family support workers.  They are mostly African American, as are their
clients;  in addition, many are conservative Christians raised on the
"spare the rod" lore.  Many believe that spanking is an acceptable form
of discipline, although that is against the policy of NCPCA.  I've just
learned that this argument (about spanking) has torpedoed previous
trainings with this group on this subject, as workers demand to know if
the speaker has ever spanked a child, why they can't teach parents about
spanking,  and that the speaker does not understand the rigors of
raising a compliant child in a terrible environment.  I want to bring
these issues out in the open, not just wash over them, and to help the
group reach consensus on a policy they will wholeheartedly support.

How have others handled this issue?  I am considering a workshp in which
we spend 1/2 the time deveopong a list of unacceptable ways of
disciplining, before we move on to alternatives.

I am also looking for written position statements on discipline from
professional groups.

Thanks!

Sharon Carnahan, Ph.D.
Associate Prof of Psychology
Rollins College Box 2760
1000 Holt Avenue
Winter Park, FL  32789-4499