..they had an interesting thread, did Ward and June ever beat the boys? If you think about, Good Times and What's Happening were really the only two shows (that I can think of) that emphasized spankins'. You watch that Eddie episode and all the kids talked about the Big Mac:lol: Especially Michael. Not to sound funny here, but he seemed to adore it most. "It could really warm your buns". Roger has gotten beating on WH a couple of times. The worse punishment a child would get is "grounded".

As for the Cleavers, THEY were classy. The Huxtables should've took lessons from them.

Those 50's t.v show were phoney. The mother was always dressed as if she was going out and the father rarely took of his shirt and tie. And where did they sleep? You never seen their bedroom! They were always awake!

Too bad James wasn't alive when Penny came on the scene. He could have taught Penny's mother how to beat a child without being abusive. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by GeeBee
Too bad James wasn't alive when Penny came on the scene. He could have taught Penny's mother how to beat a child without being abusive. :rolleyes:

James was a good dad

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
James was a good dad

That, my friend, is a matter of opinion.

Originally posted by GeeBee
That, my friend, is a matter of opinion.


You have to admit, when he beat the bully, that was FUNNY.

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
You have to admit, when he beat the bully, that was FUNNY.

Sorry, pal, what's funny to you is not necessarily funny to me.

Originally posted by GeeBee
Sorry, pal, what's funny to you is not necessarily funny to me.


awww where is your sense of humor

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
awww where is your sense of humor

Child abuse just isn't my kind of humor. We all have different things that make us laugh.

Originally posted by GeeBee
Child abuse just isn't my kind of humor. We all have different things that make us laugh.


Child Abuse??

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
Child Abuse??


That's what many people would call it these days.

Originally posted by nerrad
..they had an interesting thread, did Ward and June ever beat the boys? If you think about, Good Times and What's Happening were really the only two shows (that I can think of) that emphasized spankins'. You watch that Eddie episode and all the kids talked about the Big Mac:lol: Especially Michael. Not to sound funny here, but he seemed to adore it most. "It could really warm your buns". Roger has gotten beating on WH a couple of times. The worse punishment a child would get is "grounded".

As for the Cleavers, THEY were classy. The Huxtables should've took lessons from them.

Most tv sitcoms of the early years tried to avoid showing the negatives of family life, although in the case of "Leave It To Beaver" whatever "discipline" was applied to the Cleaver kids happened purely off-camera, but Wally DOES allude to it on several occasions.(which is why, to me, "Leave It TO Beaver" was, despite June's pearls and Ward's full suit in the den, a far more realistic program than, say, "Father Knows Best" or, for that matter, "The Cosby Show'' {except for the pilot episode, of course, where Cliff threatens Theo with "I brought you in this world, and I'll take you out!"}.)

Now, as for the beatings (and that's the only thing you CAN call them here) on "Good Times" and "What's Happening", they reflect the personal experiences of the show's creators (Eric Monte in both cases; he depicted a simular situation in his film "Cooley High") A lot of Black viewers (myself included) could identify with the situations as presented on these shows...that's why they're still beloved to this day. ("Sanford and Son" also alluded to beatings administered by parents...in this case, by Fred's father.)

This is not to assert, of course, that ALL Black children recieved severe beatings by their parents, or that such behavior was acceptable even back then (it wasn't), but some of the situation concerning child rearing as revealed on GT, S&S, WH, etc., happened to enough of us (Black and White) that we ALL could identify.

..they had an interesting thread, did Ward and June ever beat the boys? If you think about, Good Times and What's Happening were really the only two shows (that I can think of) that emphasized spankins'. You watch that Eddie episode and all the kids talked about the Big Mac:lol: Especially Michael. Not to sound funny here, but he seemed to adore it most. "It could really warm your buns". Roger has gotten beating on WH a couple of times. The worse punishment a child would get is "grounded".

As for the Cleavers, THEY were classy. The Huxtables should've took lessons from them.
I was watching Leave it to Beaver once and they were grounded once. I grew up in the 60's (born 1955) and I was always spanked, not beat but spanked. I never had a time out or got grounded.

There is a huge difference between spanking and child abuse. Child abuse is certainly wrong. Child discipline however is certainly right. The Bible prescribes the rod of correction that cleanses evil for discipline of children.
Hebrews 12 gives us some great insight into this matter as well.
No one likes painful discipline at the time- but when we grow older, we respect our earthly fathers for disciplining us as best they knew how. Thus, when our Heavenly Father disciplines us, we shouldn't get upset about it because God disciplines those He accepts as His children. And He does it for our good so that we will learn to do the good and right things that are helpful for us.
Some parents find different disciplinary methods effective at different times and that's okay. I think there are certainly limits and parents must be very careful not to give spankings out of anger for disobedience and disrespect (as they might be tempted to go further than they should) but rather in a calm mode where they can explain to children why they are receiving punishment and how they should correct their behavior.