Spanking and IQ's

(Miscellaneous- words: 377 words)   

By now, I think I got my point across that corporal punishment is in no way justifiable. It teaches kids aggression, ruins the bond between the parent and child, and leads children to emotional problems. I even went over my personal perspective, explaining why it bothers me. On top of that I explained how having the right to do so is being abused all around the world.  However, I did not mention another important point that not many people are aware of and would be traumatized to hear. I will now guide you through how corporal punishment slows down the mental development of a child in the classroom. 
To make a long story short, a child gets mentally scarred by corporal punishment. It is proven by experts that the more corporal punishment is used, the slower the development of a Child’s mental ability. Did you know that children who are hit in America actually have a lower IQ than those who are not? Studies even showed that people in countries where spanking is common have lower IQs than those who do not get spanked. With that being said, the amount of spanking a parent enacts makes a really big difference. In fact, According to the article, “Spanking Linked to Lower IQ in Children,” researchers found that, “The IQs of children aged 2 to 4 years who were not spanked were 5 points higher 4 years later than the IQs of those who were spanked (Kelly).” Isn’t that shocking, but unfortunate? I would hope that a parent would not want their child being one of those kids with a lower IQ all because of the way they were being disciplined.
All in all, corporal punishment is in no way justifiable. Before this blog, I was just against spanking because I have always found it unnecessary and sometimes disgusting. Now, I have more reasons to be completely against it, and you should too. I do not know about you but I do not want to risk my Child’s brain growth. I would much rather discipline my daughter in ways that will not affect her so negatively in the long run the way getting physical does. If you are still not convinced that it is wrong, then answer this question. How is it right?

"Does Spanking Lower Kids' IQ?." CBSNEWS.com. N.p., 29 Sept. 2009. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. <http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/25/earlyshow/health/main5339338.shtml>.

Kimball, Harry. "Spanked Kids Have Lower IQs." newser.com. N.p., 25 Sept. 2009. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. <http://www.newser.com/story/70273/spanked-kids-have-lower-iqs.html/>.

Corporal Punishment: A Worldwide Issue

(Global Perspective- 373 words)

Whether debated about being done at home or at school, corporal punishment has been an international concern for a long time. By this I mean, whether you live in America, Africa, Asia, Australia, or Europe, it has continued to be a huge issue that obviously has not been ignored for a reason. It amazes me that people are still arguing that it is actually okay for kids to be hurt by a belt, cane, or even a shoe, to be disciplined. I have stressed enough about why corporal punishment is wrong, and how it affects children though. I am going to go over corporal punishment around the world, so you can envision how many kids are being disciplined in this cruel way and have no choice but to suffer silently.

Now, an article from CNN, “Corporal punishment policies around the world,” walked me through where corporal punishment stands worldwide today. It stated that Sweden prohibited corporal punishment in 1979, which was the beginning of many other countries doing the same. Later, countries like New Zealand made the decision of banning corporal punishment too. This demonstrates that corporal punishment clearly is not good for a child because countries are not taking the risk. The good news is that now, more than 100 nations have corporal punishment banned in schools, including Afghanistan and Armenia. The bad news is that only 31 nations ban it everywhere, meaning, in schools and homes. Some of these areas include Austria, Germany, and Kenya. This means many nations allow corporal punishment in the home, which should not be acceptable. America sadly stands as one of the countries where physical discipline is lawful in the home, but not in schools.

To sum up, knowing that only 31 nations have corporal punishment expelled in both the home and school is a frightening image. This means that there are countries where hitting a child is perfectly fine as a form of discipline and it is assumed to be good rather than bad. My point is not that this makes certain countries terrible; my point is that so many children are affected by this, which is not acceptable. Children deserve to be heard, and this dispute will by no means end until they are.

"Corporal punishment policies around the world." CNN.com. N.p., 9 Nov. 2011. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. <http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/11/08/country.comparisons.corporal.punishment/index.html>.

Is it Worth It?

(Opposing Perspective: 497 words)

My friend, Mary, who has a 4 year old daughter, believes in corporal punishment. She claims it is very rare when she does hit or spank her daughter though. She says, “It is not like I am giving her an injury, it is just a slap.” In addition, she says, “Sometimes, I just do not have the time to sit down and have a discussion with her about how what she did was a no-no.” Many people that are for corporal punishment agree with Mary about the fact that they do not think a smack can hurt, and that they do not even think about sitting down and just communicating to resolve the problem. Others feel like corporal punishment is the only realistic way to get their kids to respect them.

On the other hand, Corporal Punishment is dangerous and leads kids to emotional problems, and bad behavior. Despite all of that, I mainly am against it because it is the least effective way in disciplining. According to experts, “positive reinforcement is a better way to change behavior over time.”(O’Callaghan) When you think about it, it really is common sense. If a parent is using violence to solve problems, it teaches the child to do the same. It also gives children the impression that it is okay for bigger people to pick on smaller people. It would then be hypocritical when a parent sees their child hurt someone and tells them to stop, because that’s who they learned it from. Positive reinforcement like communicating cannot possibly teach a child what hitting teaches. Teach children right from wrong by communicating, and explain the consequences. Most likely they will appreciate the concern.
All in all, Corporal punishment should be illegal in every state of the U.S. If hitting your husband or wife is considered assault, so should hitting a kid, whether it is harsh or not. Just like many of you, I got spanked as a kid as well. Just like you, I feel like I grew up to be pretty normal. Just like you, I am not depressed or crazy. I am not saying a small little smack is a life or death situation. I am saying that there is no point in a small little smack when there are other ways to solve the situation. A spank leaves pain for a day or two, and then the child forgets about it. Plus, corporal punishment to teach a child a lesson is the same as your manager hitting you for messing up at work on your first day there. Does is makes sense to punish someone at work who is not even experienced yet? Let alone hurt them? NO! Kids are young, and still learning, so they need to be raised in a positive way that will teach them good behavior. At the end of the day, parents want their kids to come to them for advice and to talk in general, so do not scare them away.

O'Callaghan, Kitty. "Is it Okay To Spank?." Parenting. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2011. <http://www.parenting.com/article/is-it-okay-to-spank?page=0,2>.

Why I am Arguing This

(Personal Perspective: 551 words)

I knew from the bat when given this assignment that I wanted to write about something related to parenting. I was not sure exactly what to write about until I was talking to my grandpa about how he was raised. My grandpa Joe was the oldest of 12 other siblings in a big Italian family. He was talking about how his youngest brother was spoiled and never got the whooping like everyone else did. Now, his youngest brother is living off of welfare and never went to college.  In other words, my grandpa explained that the whooping must have done something right, because he and his other siblings turned out to be pretty successful compared to their youngest brother. Eventually, we really got into the topic of Corporal Punishment since I am against it and he is not. I realized that it was a perfect topic for me to write about. For two other reasons, I feel strongly about arguing against corporal punishment.

First off, like I said, I am a parent, so I could not imagine writing about anything that was not related to parenting. Plus, since it is a 24/7 job, it is kind of all I really know. Never in my life did I think I would have a kid at a younger age than most, but I did. Because of this, I constantly get criticized. Of course, shows like “Teen Mom” make it worse because it makes people like me look bad. On top of that, I am about to be twenty but I look like I am fifteen years old. Either way, I am not ashamed at all, I am very thankful!  Whether I get advice from daily e-mails, magazines, or my daughter’s pediatrician, corporal punishment is always a huge topic.  I do not think this topic would be everywhere unless it is as important as it is. I feel like if I am going to blog about something, it should be something I could relate to, and learn from along the way. Never in my life could I ever put my hands on my daughter, but doing all of this research has definitely made me feel stronger about that decision. Hitting a kid, or anyone for that matter, is just a bad way of solving problems.

Second, I feel like a part of why people use corporal punishment to discipline their kids is because they are not educated about what it really does. The purpose of me writing this blog is to convince parents that may not agree yet, that they should not get physical when teaching their kids. I have friends who tell me that my daughter is never going to listen to me if I do not hit her. I have people tell me that she will not know I am her mother if I do not hit her. I find all of those comments absurd. Of course people are going to say that because for so long, that was the way every parent raised their kid.
At the end of this blog, my goal is to convince parents to keep their hands off of their kids, even if it is just a tap on their hands. I am not saying parents must praise their kids, and treat them like Kings and Queens either though. I am saying that there needs to be boundaries.

Say "No" To Spanking!

(The crux of my argument- 828 words)

I am sure all parents can agree that the love they have for their child is so strong that it is indescribable. At the same time, I am sure all parents can agree that raising a child can be hard at times. Some parents may struggle with money, some may struggle with communicating, some may struggle with disciplining, and etc.... Being a mother to a one year old, I can understand, and relate. Reading about parenting is something I do in my spare time. After lots of it, I really got into learning how to effectively discipline a child. The way a child is disciplined is very important. Plus, recently, I saw a Judge caught on tape spanking his daughter for stealing online video games on the news. As he should have known better, being a judge that deals with Child abuse, many people do not know the effects that Corporal Punishment can lead to. Although many states in the U.S and other Countries have made Corporal punishment illegal, as you can see, it is still practiced today. For those that aren’t sure what it is, "Corporal punishment is the intentional infliction of physical pain for a perceived misbehavior, It includes spanking, slapping, pinching, choking, and hitting with objects,” according to Nadine Block, the Director of the Center for Effective Discipline. I personally know many parents who believe they have the right to spank their children and claim it is for their Childs own good. For multiple reasons, parents should not spank their kids as it is the least effective solution in disciplining.
First of all, hitting your kids in any way can lead to behavioral problems later in life. Since children learn from their parents, slapping them will show them that it is an appropriate way in solving problems. On top of that, a doctor writes, “A child whose behavior is controlled by spanking is likely to carry on this mode of interaction into other relationships with siblings and peers, and eventually a spouse and offspring” (Sears) In short, the more a child is harmed, the more aggressive he or she will become. Parents must discipline their children in a way that will promote good behavior, unlike hitting.
Second, corporal punishment causes emotional problems. Being young, a child needs attention and love from their parent. Not knowing how to react to hitting, being so young causes them to neglect tasks they take on everyday. Tasks including, sleep, nutrition, fresh air, and exercise are a few. To top it off, “Frequent and harsh spankings can cause young children to bottle up their feelings of fear, anger, and hostility. In later life these children are unusually prone to suicidal thoughts, suicide, and depression,” According to, Dr. Hyman’s article, “WHAT SPANKING DOES FOR KIDS”. Considering there are better ways to discipline a child, hitting is not worth the emotional problems a child can suffer with down the road.
Third, as it is clear that corporal punishment is more risky that beneficial, it also interferes with a parent and child’s relationship. It is completely natural to distance yourself from people that don’t make you feel good. How many of you surround yourself with people that treat you bad? A child is more likely to cooperate with a parent through a bond that’s based on strong mutual feelings of respect and love. For example, my best friend’s Mother, Krista, has a close bond with her daughter, Carley. She really does not have to worry about bad behavior because she is so close to Carley, and raised her daughter in a strict but nonviolent manner. In fact, they spend more time together than apart.

In brief, let’s make parenting a little easier and start by disciplining our child/children appropriately. As understandable as it is that it can be tempting, or normal from your perspective, corporal punishment is inappropriate, and unnecessary. Even if your way of hitting is not as harsh as the Texas judges in this video, it is still wrong. There is always room for improvement when disciplining a child. If you have a little one who is not yet old enough to know right from wrong, start out my just being a good example, since they do learn their behavior from their parents. Many magazines have proven that if your child is old enough to know right from wrong, putting them in timeout with no electronics works. Also, do not forget to compliment them when they do something good. This message needs to get across to every parent because parents want happy kids that will obey them, but they don’t know the right way in making them do so!

BLOCK, NADINE. "Abandon the Rod and Save the Child." The Humanist Mar. 2000: 5. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 10 Nov. 2011.

Hyman, Irwin A. What Spanking Does for Kids. www.NoSpank.Net, 2011. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. http://www.nospank.net/main.htm#resrch.



Sears, William, and Martha Sears. www.Askdrsears.com. Facebook, Youtube, 2011. Web. 13 Nov. 2011.