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.