Does LD online need a debate board????

Here, Here to that idea. This is a very frustrating board to try to follow and learn from. Susan

Since I started the topic of “spanking” I thought I’d respond. I am a real child’s rights advocate and after reading a couple posts about children being potentially abused by a boyfriend and a school official I had to respond like I feel any Mom should. I’d do it again in a heartbeat and would certainly risk the chance of offending someone. I’m sorry if you don’t feel this is a valid topic. I try to plainly label any topics that I start so that people can skip them easily.

I remember that weekend where there were many parents new to ADHD that were posting and Ball just took over and the postings fell into ancient history real fast. These parents were considering the use of spanking as a tool for controlling ADHD. It may be a very uncomfortable topic for some folks but in my opinion definately valid. MANY, MANY well-meaning and loving parents do use corporal punishish to control these kids with ADHD. I think it is wrong but I do see how desperate parents can become to “help” their kids act “normal”. Please be tolerant of topics that you find irrelevant. Just don’t read them and move on to what is most-helpful to you. If there is some concensus as to what topics are considered irrelevant then please let me know so I don’t foolishly waste my time seeking help here on those issues. Who is this board for? Jean

It is interesting to have this idea come up, as I was having similar thoughts yesterday. I would certainly think discussing spanking is very appropriate for a board relating to parenting. But I was thinking it might be good to have a “Medication: pros and cons” board so some of that discussion could happen without coopting the exchange of parenting ideas. There is certainly a lot of important info that can be shared about medicaiton, some of which is directly related to parenting. But the posts that seem to rankle the most are the ones that question the validity of the ADHD diagnosis, or challenge the concept of medication as an intervention. I think these are very valid topics for debate, but are not really helpful to someone looking for hands-on, nuts and bolts parenting advice. So all the posts about new research on brain imaging, or the long-term effects of medication, or references to other sites on the origins and legitimacy of the DSM diagnoses would have a place to be posted, and this board could focus on more practical concerns or day-to-day parenting, like “is this a medication side effect” or “how do I stop the whining”. This way, everyone has a forum, the info is available for those who are working on deciding about medication, and parents who have already done the research and made up their minds can come here and discuss things on a less philosophical plane without having to sift through as much data that doesn’t speak to their concerns.

Whadja think?

–- Steve

I think people who have chosen meds and chosen no meds were getting along fine on this board and still do. There is one and only one problem here. Your idea would be great if there was more than one problem here, but there isn’t. I would hardly call antagonizing parents with sincere intentions a philosophical discussion. You are missing the point.

I’m with Steve on this one. It wasn’t my intention to advocate for a board on spanking, but rather a one for pros vs. cons of using meds. Anybody trying to muddle through the anti-medication activism by certain members, would be able to see that Steve and I clearly use different methods of child-rearing, but I find his advice and experience a useful source of info. It’s the activists’ that use rehashed anti-med material to sling insults at other posters that I find make this site a waste of time.

I suggested a debate board because of the medication/no medication battles. It appears to me to overwhelm the board at times and I become frustrated and spend time elsewhere. I know that much good advice can be found on these boards and I worry the heated “tone” will turn off new posters.

I never read the spanking posts myself. But now Im curious :twisted: and will have to!