The Consequences Of Spanking

Spanking, Yes? Or No?

What a controversial topic! There doesn’t seem to be any right or wrong conclusion to this topic. Spanking sparks a lot of attention and people on both sides believe they have the correct response to this and it is hard to argue the point either way because both sides have valid responses to the topic of spanking. Spanking can be defined as any swatting or slapping intended to cause a child physical pain but not injury, for purposes of correction or control. Tracy Connor with NBC News wrote an article on the controversy after the NFL player “beat” his child. The article was clear about one thing, “harsh physical punishment such as pushing, grabbing, shoving, slapping, hitting in non-abusive households increases

The group that is against argue that it is violent and more harmful to young children. The group that is against also feel that children miss out on learning how to resolve conflicts without the use of violence which will lead to lower problem-solving skills.

Parents are committed to the idea that spanking is necessary not because they want to hit their kids, but because they believe that it works when other things don’t. Not all children will suffer negative consequences of spanking. A small dose, like a rare occasional spank, is not going to make a difference most of the time. When used correctly, spanking is safe and effective, and can be an appropriate tool for parents.

In disciplining children, try to figure out why your child is acting out in this manner and try to communicate with them as kindly and gently as they can. It is necessary to make sure the child understands what is expected of them, and to begin with nonphysical consequences, like a “timeout” or taking away privileges. If the child still doesn’t cooperate, then it will be necessary for something more forceful to back it up. This is what is termed “backup spanking” which involves two swats of an open hand to the rear end. Affirm your love for the child afterward. Spanking should be used with milder discipline tactics to enforce the idea that the parent and child need to work through their problems verbally. As children

Spanking should not be done to embarrass or humiliate your child. Spanking should be a last resort over a first resort, and only used on serious offenses. Spanking is inappropriate for infants and once a child is older than five-years-old. The reason for this is because babies cannot understand and once a child is older than five, they tend to experience humiliation. Always make sure your child understands what behavior caused the spanking; discuss the behavior and explain why you are spanking them so that hopefully this behavior will not be repeated in the future. Spanking, however, should not be done as a means of discipline on its own. When spanking is used in conjunction with reasoning and time-outs, you will have the most success in changing the negative behavior.

Questions to ponder: Do you consider spanking children as an ethical behavior? Is it a way to discipline children or to abuse them? Do you think that it is necessary in your efforts of disciplining your children? What is your