Child discipline has been a heated topic of debate in recent years. Many older people in past generations support more severe child discipline, citing that it teaches kids proper behavior better than more modern teaching styles. However, younger parents and experts are saying that severe child discipline can have long lasting negative effects. The issue of child abuse has been brought up many times in these arguments. There is a fine line between an acceptable spanking and child abuse. Corporal punishment may be thought of as, “the good old days,” by many adults, but kids today measure up, and might even surpass what kids used to be like. Corporal punishment may be favored at home or might be thought of as a good tool to teach children respect. …show more content…
If a parent is mad at a child for acting out, and their first reaction is to hit their child, they will pick up that violence is the first reaction to something that causes them to be angry. Another point that kidshealth.org makes is that hitting children as a punishment only teaches them to not get caught doing something they would get in trouble for. If parents or teachers took the time to explain to them why they couldn’t do something rather than hitting them, the lesson would sink in better to kids. People are most vulnerable when they are children, they are still growing and can be easily …show more content…
Parents may think that they grew up smart and mature because of corporal punishment and that kids today do not know respect because of the lack of this type of punishment. However, studies have shown that child behavior is actually on the rise; kids are behaving better than they ever have. Anything from teen pregnancy to bullying are all on the decline. There are less children going to juvy, teen pregnancy has been cut in half, and reported bullying is at an all time low (Rettew). Substance use is also on the decline. Fewer and fewer kids are getting involved in smoking and drinking while underage. The only drug that seems to be an exception is cannabis, which has remained stable in use for the past 20 or more years
In modern society, physical discipline is still considered a somewhat suitable way of teaching children how to behave in life, though it is decreasing in popularity as time goes on. When using physical discipline, the parent should never have the intention of causing harm, they should always have the intention of being constructive. Whether or not physical discipline results in a beneficial outcome is dependent upon how it is used. If it is the only, or primary, source of discipline, the outcome is generally unfavorable. Also, as said in an article by Larzelere and Kuhn, if the discipline is too violent, and results in the child becoming injured, the child is not going to retain the intended lesson (1). An example of non-abusive physical discipline is conditional spanking. Conditional spanking "is defined as about two open-hand swats to the buttocks when a parent is not angrily out of control" (Larzelere, Kuhn 1). This type of punishment "teaches a child to cooperate with the milder disciplinary tactic, thereby making spanking less necessary in the future" (Larzelere, Kuhn 1) . When parents decide to use physical discipline, the primary intention of the parent should always be that the punishment is being "used in such a way that [it] reduces the need to use it in the future" (Larzelere, Kuhn 1). A parent should never hit a child
Markham believes that “corporal punishment was linked with . . . increased rates of aggression, delinquency, mental health problems, and problems in relationships with their parents. . . .As adults, they are more likely to hit their spouses.” Markham’s statements, however, can easily be disproven. Markham based her facts on an “analysis of 88 corporal punishment studies over six decades. . . .” While initially these studies may seem trustworthy, it is impossible for them to be believable. Six decades ago, if a child was receiving a punishment, he was told to grab a switch from outside and bring it to his parent so the child could be spanked with it. When that child became a parent a couple decades later, he used the same form of punishment on his children because it worked on him when he was a child and the cycle then repeats. These studies cannot accurately show that spanking in childhood has caused issues in adulthood because throughout generations parents continue to use the same punishment on their children even if the parents did not agree with the punishment when they were
The main problem with hitting children is the psychological effect it has on them. One reason parents claim to hit their children is to
Corporal Punishment Corporal Punishment of children breaches their fundamental human rights it’s legality in the majority states worldwide. Corporal punishment has been a big problem for a very long time. Many people disagree with corporal punishment and so do I.Physical punishment should not be allowed in schools,it can create violence in kids,it is another abusive act,and kids get robbed from their full learning potential. Physical punishment can provoke violence in kids, and bullying can start just from physical punishment.
Everyday parents are faced with the challenges of disciplining their children. We all wish there was an instruction booklet that we could magical pull out and get them back on the right path, but no such thing exists. Often times, your child pushes you to the edge of your personal limitations. At this moment it is often we correct our child’s behavior by spanking. Spanking is considered a form of discipline that is acceptable by most and an unacceptable to a smaller crowd. Spanking can lead to psychological problems in early adolescent, which long term can lead to emotional and anger retention.
While effective in the schools, children who were corporally punished had a high tendency to become more aggressive after school Corporal punishment in a school was a teaching method that originated from european countries (5) The result of a cross-culture on 186 cultural groups was that the higher the amount of corporal punishment is used, the child will be more aggressive and prone to interpersonal violence The study also showed that the more frequent corporal punishment was, the more violent the person would be as an adult Over 90% of Canadian parents have admitted to using corporal punishment at least once A reason why corporal punishment is controversial is because the line between punishment and abuse is vague Another reason is because even if the punishment is not abusive it still has bad future effects
The experts that are against spanking say that it is a violent act and teaches children that hitting is okay. Pro spanking advocate, Dr. James Dobson, reprinted a very informative article by Dr. Den Trumbull M.D. and Dr. S. DuBose Ravenel M.D. entitled To Spank or Not to Spank: A look at an age-old question that baffles many physicians. It states, "There is no evidence in the medical literature that a mild spank to the buttocks of a disobedient child by a loving parent teaches the child aggressive behavior" (Dobson, 2004, p. 127). Dr. Dobson also cited the doctors whose article said that it is impractical to suppose that a child wouldn't show violent behavior if parents used other forms of discipline rather than spanking. Most toddlers, who have yet to be spanked because of their age, commonly strike out against others in aggravation. This is true of any toddler, seen out in public, who throws a temper tantrum over not getting his way. Countless parents, frustrated themselves, simply remove the child from making an undesirable scene. The only thing to do for a child of that age is to remove temptation and distract the child with a toy or juice cup. As the toddler grows, distraction is more difficult and the disciplining methods increase intensity. Some experts against spanking also argue that
Child discipline is an important part of parenthood. It is challenging for adults to manage children’s behaviors and find the correct lessons that will benefit their children. According to the research performed by Flynn (1998), most parents in the United States agree that "it is sometimes necessary to discipline a child with a good, hard spanking" (p.26). Socolar et al. performed research which agreed that “corporal punishment of children persists—roughly fifty percent of the parents of toddlers in the United States use corporal punishment as a regular method of disciplining their children.” (as cited in Gershoff, 2010, p.32). That is not to say that physical punishment is the solution as it can stop a behavior immediately but the results
Firstly, physical punishment breeds aggressive behaviour. Research shows that negative reinforcement tends to have a replicating effect. Adults who were spanked as children are, in turn, more likely to spank their children. Parents set a precedent and children tend to imitate the behaviour, good or ill. For example, a child that is physically
Lenta, Strauss, Mayer and Blome, and McLloyd et. al would all argue that by utilizing corporal punishment on the young Americans today, we are raising up a generation who will continue to uphold this cycle of harsh/violent discipline instead of utilizing better and more effective (and proven to be effective)
Many studies on cases of adults who have tendency to perpetuate abuses, either as a victim or as an abuser, are traced in the pattern of violence experienced at home, and many are reportedly experience being physically violated by spanking during their childhood. Despite the information and advocacy available in almost all media these days, there are still parents who thought that spanking their children to emphasize discipline is still beneficial. The benefits cited by those supporting spanking as acceptable method of discipline varied across culture and race. Generally, there are three views or positions about spanking as a form of discipline (Benject C. & Kazdin A, 2003) : Pro-corporal punishment, anti-corporal punishment, and conditional corporal punishment.
This issue of corporal punishment is a current issue that many people have on their minds. The issue strikes an emotional chord for many whom were or were not punished by spanking during their own childhoods. The issue generally focuses on the effect that spanking or other discipline methods will have on children. I will specifically be exploring the question: is it ever appropriate to spank a child? The cases for and against the spanking of young children are many and varied. But the main issue is the level of appropriateness that the act can reach.
Corporal punishment in these days has been becoming a topic in many old timers talks. Many believe that it helps and is definitely the way to go. The older generations still seem to believe that society would be better off if kids still got punished the way they did. They refuse to ignore data that has not supported the clams they bring up about making children better behaved or as they call it “Straightening them up”. Many believe that our liberal democracy population has views that are not valid and that the old ways need to come back to help us grow.
The world has changed in many different ways, but there are still things that need to be changed for the better. Corporal punishment is one of those things. All around the world, corporal punishment is affecting children in many ways. It is described as a form of discipline that hurts a child in a way and is used both in homes and schools. It has been going on for years upon years and very few people try to stop it. People believe corporal punishment is good for children, but there have been so many negative outcomes that other people argue against it. Although some people believe that corporal punishment helps improve a child’s behavior, corporal punishment should not be used because it could be used excessively and it is ineffective.
Children are like flowers, if well taken care of they will bloom. If ignored or tortured, they will wither and die. Child discipline is one of the most important elements of successful parenting. Today, many people have this notion that physical abuse is in no way a solution to helping children discern between right and wrong. Since generations children have been taught the art of discipline through physical punishment. Often this approach to disciplining has resulted in two outcomes, one is where the child becomes more tolerant and is willing to adhere to what he/she has been told, or the other which more often results in children developing a sense of anguish and desire to revolt.