Spanking is Not the Best Alternative for Disciplining Children

Spanking is Not the Best Alternative for Disciplining Children

Introduction

Why do parents spank their children? Typically, the aim of spanking is to punish the children for wrongdoing or for misbehaving. But is this the correct way to follow when it comes to disciplining children? Spanking, formally known as corporal punishment, is banned in many countries. Research shows that substitutes to spanking can be just as operational in terms of amending bad behaviour and that spanking or any other form of corporal punishment to children is scarring of long-term emotional development (Campbell, 2016).

Information

Spanking is humiliating and threatening. The most important relationship is the one between a parent and their children; therefore, using violent means to condition a child will potentially disorient or ruin the loving relationship. Multiple studies by paediatricians assert that a child may interpret spanking as an act of disfavour, leading to mistrust and fear of the parent. Children who undergo this form of punishment may also become tolerant of violence. Again, spanking alone does not tell the child what is right from wrong and may motivate non-compliance. Therefore, spanking not an effective way of disciplining a child (Abbasi, 2019).

Spanking does not portray positive guidance for parents to their children. If parents spank their children because of wrongdoing, they spank them out of anger. This results in children learning that the correct way to respond to bad behaviour is through anger and infliction of physical pain. Children as known, practice what they are told and what they hear; therefore in future react negatively in such situation in the future if they get angry. Spanking, when used as a form of punishment to children it teaches them to be aggressive against others. It teaches them that spanking is a means of control. Using a longitudinal youth study, “Smith and McLoyd followed a group of children over four years old”. After the study, their findings suggested that children who were spanked often, the problem in their behaviour over time increased and when spanking was stopped on the same children, the impact on the growth of behaviour problem reduced.

Spanking inflicts fear and causes the child to distrust the parent. Spanking inflicts pain on the child, and they feel humiliated, resentful, and unloved. As a result, they experience anxiousness and unexplained fear of making mistakes as it may call for a spank. Again, when a parent spanks to punish ill-behaviour, they manifest ruthlessness rather than showing sympathetic guidance. The aspect then erodes the child-parent bond cultivating the thoughts that the parent may not have the best interests for him/her leading to distrust.

Problems with spanking

First, spanking alone does not convey what is right or wrong and may motivate non-compliance. Spanking may stop a behaviour temporarily; however, it does not work in the long-term. It instils physical pain in a child, evoking different adverse socio-emotional reactions like fear and confusion. These aspects may then interfere with the learning process of the child, triggering effects like misinterpreting the message the parent is trying to send. As a result, the child may fail to understand what the parent expects of him/her leading to further non-compliance.

Moreover, spanking may motivate tolerance for violence and aggression. Gershoff and Grogan-Kaylor’s research reveal that 14 studies showed a positive relationship between spanking and aggressive behaviour. Again, children experiencing spanking have the same outcomes as children undergoing physical abuse. When a parent is spanking their child, they are behaving aggressively; this may send signals to the child to think that they should treat people who displease them aggressively. The child then becomes violent tolerant or begin aggressive behaviour.

For example, when a child doesn’t act in accordance to the rules set up by hos or parents and stays up till late watching television, parents can restrict the child from watching television for a couple of days. This is a method of discipline does not involve any physical harm, unlike spanking. By not spanking the child and using restriction as the way of disciplining the kid strengthens the relationship between the child and the parent by making the child feel important.

The debate on spanking has brought about controversies with various groups presenting their claims either supporting the act of being against it. While most of those claims have a little to no ground statistics wise, there are some that give evidence to thus backing their claims. The approaches are more of supporting the act of spanking in the event of bad behaviour. The breakdown of fabrics, especially in the social realm, points to the slow approach in correcting children when they misbehave (Gabriela et al., 2018). Most parents have experienced measures that involve physical harm to children, spanking being the leading one among them. According to the argument, taking this approach ensures that a sense of discipline is reinstated among children.

Research

According to (Caron, 2018), “Spanking leads to Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement.” According to research, this claim is true. Bodies or institutions put in place to cater for children rights have been vocal of late concerning cases of spanking of children. These institutions have been creating awareness in the recent past, and this has resulted in a reduction of spanking cases among parents.

According to (Levy et al., 2018), “Children who were spanked were more likely to be involved in fights at school than those who received no discipline at all.” According to research findings, this claim was true. Spanking of children was seen to make children more violent and thus instigating fights most of the times.

Rhetoric and fallacies

“Parents who spank their children do not care about them.” It is true there are parents who are uncaring naturally and do not think of the harm they cause while punishing their children. These parents can be seen as uncaring. However, a parent spanking his or her child can just be a way of correcting the child and not a sign of carelessness.

“Parents who do not spank their children result in the children growing up entitled, spoiled and undisciplined.” This claim, on a certain level is true. Those children who grow up without any form of punishment for misbehaving, grow up to be spoilt. On the other hand, this statement is very wrong because it is trying to claim that there are no other forms of disciplining children apart from spanking.

“I was spanked as a child and grew up with up with a psychological disorder known as common sense”. This claim also is true in but not applicable to everyone. While some of the worst impacts spankings has on children are genuine, those against this act sometimes raise ridiculous claims, for instance, a case was presented last year by a group of people where they argued that spanking children reduces child’s chances of being sexual. The problem with this argument and many other of the calibre is the degree of emotions they arouse to influence the regulation against the practice.

Conclusion

Disciplining children is founded on the urge to improve their approach to handling situations in life. Parents should not derive pleasure by spanking their children. This act is outdated and has no place in this era.

Counter-arguments of the claim argue that spanking is a great alternative to condition a child. An analysis by Health line researchers claims that spanking may have a shock-effect provoking them into modifying and never repeating the undesirable behaviour. They also add that, since children respond differently to different forms of punishment, spanking may work with some children. However, these claims do not have a basis on in-depth data as parents do not spank their children publicly or in front of strangers. More so, the evidence available is not sufficient to support the effectiveness of the punishment model.

References

Abbasi, J. (2019). American Academy of Pediatrics Says No More Spanking or Harsh Verbal Discipline. JAMA.

Campbell, L. (2016, July 6). The Pros and Cons of Spanking. Retrieved from Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/spanking-pros-and-cons#The-pros-of-spanking-

Caron, C. (2018, November 5). Spanking Is Ineffective and Harmful to Children, Pediatricians’                     Group Says. The New York Times. Retrieved from

Gabriela Barajas-Gonzalez, R., Calzada, E., Huang, K. Y., Covas, M., Castillo, C. M., & Brotman, L. M. (2018). Parent spanking and verbal punishment, and young child internalizing and externalizing behaviors in Latino immigrant families: Test of moderation by context and culture. Parenting, 18(4), 219-242.

Levy, R., Naff, D., Terry, M., & Coffee, M. (2018). A Review of Disciplinary Interventions in K12 Public Education.

Pace, G. T., Lee, S. J., & Grogan-Kaylor, A. (2019). Spanking and young children’s socioemotional development in low- and middle-income countries. Child abuse & neglect, 88, 84-95. Retrieved from