Parenting Styles: Discipline and Abuse in the Black Community

There is truly a fine line between physical discipline and abuse, and many times in the black community, that line is crossed. This topic is centered on discussions found in both Brittney Cooper’s article published on The Salan entitled “The Racial Parenting Divide” and Ta-Nehisi Coates’ novel “Between The World and Me” . Both parallel one another in the ideas exhibited in their pieces. The article written by Cooper confesses the often times TOO authoritative parenting style that black parents use to discipline their children while Between the World and Me gives a first hand acknowledgement of that. Coates’ life testimonials throughout Between the World and the examples given by Cooper in her article both serve as a prime example to the fine

He tells of the fear his parents instilled in him all throughout his book Between the World and Me. With moments like “My father was so very afraid. I felt it in the sting of his black leather belt, which he applied with more anxiety than anger”, it 's hard to not feel sorry for what Coates had to endure. While many black people would see nothing wrong with this, finding it a normal form of psychical discipline, this happens to be a prime example of the fine line that is often crossed in many black households. The use of objects in order to reinforce good behavior, is in no way psychical discipline and furthermore happens to fall under the category of abuse. Crossing the line just like in the Brittney Cooper article that recounted the instance of Adrian Peterson and his 4 year old child. The parallel between the moments accounted in Coates’ and Coopers’ pieces is uncanny because the same method of discipline was used in both and Adrian Peterson was found guilty of reckless assault. While Ta-Nehisi Coates’ parents were not found guilty by a court of law, one can conclude that their methods of discipline do not fit the qualifications of physical discipline either. The mixture of love and discipline to produce tough love is very difficult to argue against because the unconditional desire for the child

We tense up at the sight of outside forces using authoritative methods and attitudes when we are faced with disciplinary actions (some authorized some not), but are so eager and willing to project that same overbearing authoritativeness over our own offspring. Cooper writes, “The loving intent and sincerity of our disciplinary strategies does not preclude them from being imbricated in these larger state-based ideas about how to compel black bodies to act in ways that are seen as non-menacing, unobtrusive and basically invisible.” Meaning, the ironic parallel between state-based forms of disciplinary action on the black body and African American’s very own forms, indeed and unfortunately do overlap. The “Black Lives Matter” movement is in full force, protesting the acts of unlawful policing and to stop the harming of civilians that law enforcement are bond to protect. This movement is amazing, but in light of this prompt, contradictory factors have come to the surface. Just like law enforcement, parents are suppose to protect their children while also disciplining them when the child misbehaves. While, the methods of discipline used in black household are up to the prerogative of the parent… Those methods should not mirror the same methods that those black household are protesting against. Phrases