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A Successful SpankOut Day:
Things To Consider

Here are lots of ideas about how to have a successful SpankOut Day event - event formats, event audiences, promotions, and working with the media. Also see our parent training materials including workshop ideas. If you need additional suggestions, please contact our office at (614) 221-8829 or email us at info@stophitting.org

What Worked - feedback from past participants

The name makes a difference

It is sometimes difficult to get parents to attend parenting programs, especially when discipline is concerned.

One organization did a "Zoo-fest" theme with a presentation for children by a zoo, craft and game tables for families and an optional discipline workshop for parents.

Last year one group did a "Parent's Café", a presentation on positive discipline and breakfast for parents. This year the "Parent's Café" set up an expo-like setting involving several child/family organizations offering parenting techniques, positive discipline information and offering parents the opportunity to ask "parenting experts" discipline questions.

Themes like stress busting and anger management can be helpful in increasing attendance. The book "Hands are Not for Hitting" has been a popular book for involving children and families and was successfully used in an in-school presentation for children and teachers. Children later completed door-hangers on acting in non-violent ways with others for display in the community. They were taken home where parents were asked to sign peaceful family agreements.

Having partners in the event helps

Collaboratives seemed to be able to draw bigger crowds - probably because each organization brings a mailing list of clients, volunteers and supporters to invite to the event.

Making the event part of a program that has similar goals offers ready-made attendees

There are regularly scheduled groups for which parenting information on discipline is appropriate and helpful. These might include: anger management programs, women's re-entry programs, battered women's shelters, Headstart groups, PTA groups, after school programs, teen parent programs, Le Leche groups, Attachment Parenting and foster parent programs.

Using known and admired community members increases attendance

One successful presentation involved presentation of a panel of known and admired community members who talked about positive discipline and effects of spanking - a parenting educator, a minister, and a pediatrician. Another program which targeted teens brought in University football players who gave autographs.

CONSIDER THESE EVENT AUDIENCES:

CONSIDER THESE EVENT FORMATS:

AND USE THE FOLLOWING GREAT IDEAS!

• Creating products by children for use in discussion or display: Audiotape of children age 4-14 talking about spanking for use in parent discussion. Art by children on "How spanking and yelling feels to children" to display in public places or use in parent discussions. A writing contest for children on "How spanking and yelling feels to children". Children write PSA statements for radio on "How spanking and yelling feels to children"
• Using 15-foot stand-up cut out of adults created by teens for display in shopping center, town square and courthouse lawn. CASA volunteers in one community took Polaroid's of adults next to the cutout to show how a child feels looking up at an adult. They handed out positive discipline information.
• Developing materials for continuing use by the agency/school parent programs (brochures, fliers, posters)
• Imprinting college/organization paychecks with "It is easier to build a child than to repair an adult. Join us in participating in SpankOut Day on April 30th"
• Using high school hospital center volunteers to deliver information to stores, preschools, hospitals clinics, etc.
• Handing out "no spanking/what to do instead" cards with play dough recipes and cookie cutters to parents in public places or preschools
• Using a ball/paddle for training health care workers "Paddle a Ball/Not a Child"
• Sponsoring community billboards on positive discipline/no spanking
• Using "Spank-Free" pledges for parents/ follow-up support letters or calls
• Using interactive videos on positive discipline to stimulate discussion
• Providing continental breakfast/social worker informal conversations on discipline for parents dropping children off at preschool
• Training parents in infant-toddler massage for children up to age three and showing how massage calms children
• Passing around life-size baby dolls, playing a crying audiotape and having each participant identify one way to calm the baby
• Using a family fun night to provide information and materials on positive discipline

CONSIDER THESE EVENT PROMOTIONS:

LEARN FROM PAST SPANKOUT DAY PARTICIPANTS:

SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING SPANKOUT DAY EVENTS

• Have available a brief article on "Spare the rod and Spoil the Child" for folks who give religious arguments for using corporal punishment
• We needed to use an overall positive theme "positive discipline" or something similar as the theme for SpankOut Day because using spanking in the title was too controversial.
• I wish I had known to advertise earlier.
• More time would have been most helpful, i.e. arrange for photographer, news releases.
• Continuing to reach wider audiences, setting up more displays, longer event, more focus on activities for adolescents, more art for adults, greater food options, requests for T-shirts, having a group of volunteers come earlier to set up, reach out to media (having skilled person help), searching now for celebrity program next year.
• We should have set aside more time to be in direct contact with health care professionals, educators, human service agency staff and other community leaders to help get the word out and promote the event as well as the idea.
• A microphone for the speaker and staff making announcements, additional staff-led activities for children during keynote speaker.
• More workshops for the providers, invite the families of Provider Homes to the workshops, increase the use of Spanish and ASL in all events and workshops, continue training throughout the year.
• More advertisement, spend more money and try to get donations for door prizes, more networking with doctor's offices.
• Incorporate spank-free guidelines into a local newsletter on a weekly basis and remind folks that SpankOut Day is April 30th

WORKING WITH THE MEDIA

ENLIST LOCAL NEWSPAPERS, TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS

• Identify and list contact information for media persons who cover social welfare issues
• Put together a list of assignment and news desk contacts
• Make contacts on a regular basis regarding your organization and this issue before SpankOut Day

LEADING UP TO THE EVENT

• Send out an advisory one week before the event to include:
  • What - a brief description of the event and your organization
  • When - the time and date of the event
  • Where - exact location of the event
  • Who - speakers
  • Why - purpose of the event
• Make a personal contact three or four days before the event:
  • Ask if they received your advisory, if they need more information, if they plan to cover the event

WRITE A NEWS RELEASE

• Create an exciting headline
• Explain why the event is important and information about the event and its time and location
• State a time for the release - "For Immediate Release"

PREPARE A MEDIA KIT TO CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING

• Media release
• Background on your organization and the issue
• Photo and bios on key speaker(s)/leaders

AFTER THE EVENT

• Make a contact by phone or letter thanking news personnel for attending your event.

TALKING TO THE MEDIA

There are dozens of opportunities for parents and caregivers to become more informed about effective discipline of children on April 30th in celebration of SpankOut Day, USA. You may be contacted by the media to provide information about SpankOut Day and about your activity.

WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU TALK TO THE MEDIA

• Review your SpankOut packet for background information about the event.
• The purpose of SpankOut Day is to provide widespread visibility for the need to stop hitting children and to learn alternative methods of discipline.
• Emphasize that spanking is a bad habit that can be broken!
• Discipline is critical to raising children to be caring, responsible and productive adults. Emphasize effective, positive discipline strategies and prevention.
• Effective Discipline is that which comes from parents and other caregivers who are models of self-discipline, who provide appropriate rules and responsibilities for children and who provide consistent love and attention to children. When children misbehave, several responses are helpful including brief time-outs, use of consequences, and removing privileges.

HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR TALKING TO THE MEDIA

• Answer questions as honestly as you can. If you don't know an answer, ask for time to get the information and provide a time when you will respond.
• Stay with the reporter as he/she moves through your facility so that you can answer questions as they arise.
• Try to make your most important points in the beginning.
• Do not argue with the reporter or lose your control.
• Write a note thanking the reporter for his/her time.

Questions? Don't hesitate to give us a call.

Center for Effective Discipline/ EPOCH-USA (End Physical Punishment of Children)
Nadine Block, Chairwoman . 155 W. Main St. #1603 . Columbus, OH 43215
Phone (614) 221-8829 . Fax (614) 221-2110 . Email: nblock@infinet.com