[January24th]

Twelve years old is way too old to get a spanking with pants dropped--especially for typical goofiness and irresponsibility. A twelve year-old boy is very apt to forget things, fall asleep in class, be flaky and ditzy and confused while his body is going on a hormonal rampage of growth and change. At that age a parent should be in a more managing role than a disciplinarian role.

If he's otherwise a decent kid, he needs positive reinforcement training at that age, and small "groundings" or other denials of priveleges for repeated idiocy.

[MikefromOhio]

that is kind of the way my parents went with me, although I didnt really start having big time issues until I was 15 and 16 and that was because we were moving and I wasnt exactly thrilled....

[whereasandsoforth]

"Twelve years old is way too old to get a spanking with pants dropped--especially for typical goofiness and irresponsibility. A twelve year-old boy is very apt to forget things, fall asleep in class, be flaky and ditzy and confused while his body is going on a hormonal rampage of growth and change. At that age a parent should be in a more managing role than a disciplinarian role."

No, twelve is not way too old for a bare butt strapping. And its because of the very things you list about a boy that age. He needs things very basic and remedial so it won't be so easily forgotten. The boy needs to fear physical punishment. Between the ages of twelve and fifteen is the worse possible time to spare the rod.

Its a lovely thought, but to reason with kids is nothing more than trying to elevating them to your level as an adult. It sounds good in theory, but they are not equipped to handle it. A swift physical punishment get the attention and is not soon forgot. And it usually takes only one time to correct a situation. Repeated groundings and denials of privilege is for those parents that don't take raising their kids seriously and kinda just hopes everything turns out ok.

[babygene]

"Twelve years old is way too old to get a spanking with pants dropped-especially for typical goofiness and irresponsibility."

Says who? You?

[Manic_Episode]

Kids should be disciplined for disobedience or defiance, but not for irresponsability, but nonetheless the parent should not be charged with a crime.