Moments in Time

There are different methods and ways to punish a child for misbehaving whether inside or outside the house. The need to physically punish a child all depends on the parents and how they have would like to raise the child. The need to discipline a child can vary from parent to parent and it could also depend on how they were raised themselves.

Though this issue a controversial among researchers on how children should get punished whether it be physically or verbally, it allows them to learn from their mistakes and understand it should not happen again. The child will think the parent may be taken an anger issue out on them if they get spanked, too hard or beyond what is needed for the punishment. This will cause the child to be aggressive with the parent (1)***. If the parent is going through an emotional situation then the child will be getting spanked more than what it is needed. When a child gets spanked by one of the parents, it will be shown as aggressiveness towards the child. It could help force the child to become violent in the current stages of human development and as they mature into adulthood (2)***. A second reason children should not be spanked is the ineffectiveness of this punishment. Although spanking is useful, there are other ways to discipline a child (1)***. Isolating a child and putting the child in “time out” is not physically abusing the child. Though may be left alone in the room, it is another way of punishing the child. They should be allowed to think about their actions and behaviors before getting spanked by a parent. Along with this is taking away the personal items and those they enjoy using such as the cell phone or the car that they drive daily. They are not privileged to do certain activities (3)***. A third reason why children should not get spanked is the action and parenting style. Positive parenting allows the parent to sit down with the child to allow them to have the attention that is needed or the attention that they want. Most likely the child wants attention and when they misbehave, they have no sense or idea on how to control their emotions. After the one-on-one session is over, the children should get a better understanding on how they should handle the situation instead of getting out of place. They will also get am understanding of others’ feelings, making moral decisions, and how they are expected to behave (4)***.

Although most people do not believe in physical punishment or never spanked their child before, then they should believe that it can be very useful. If a child get physically punished, then they will learn the how to conduct themselves at school, in public, around family members, and in the general public. Spanking children allows them to be well trained and disciplined. They learn to respect people of higher authority properly. If children are not spanked, sometimes this may be the case, and then teachers will have trouble controlling the child in the classroom. This does take instructional time out from the class and causes the teacher to disciple the child on their own during teaching time (5)***. The next reason why a child should get spanked is to allow them to know they should not misbehave in public, embarrassing the parent. For example, Juanita would not want her child William to be running around and throwing toys around while they are in Wal-Mart. The spanking they will get while in the store will tell let the child be ware that they should not act they way ever again going into any store or elsewhere outside the house (9)***. Lastly, spanking a child will teach them how to obey their parents and teach them how to raise a family of their own. It will always be reasonable to develop moral values and a family oriented child at an early age or when they start to understand the true meaning of family. When an adult discipline a child they are setting an example for them. Children do watch what their parents do and they see how they treat other people. So if a child is misbehaving, they will be set in place on how to behave and stay in a child’s place. It is reality for a parent to respect what the child will do, but they should always have a limit to everything they would like to do (10)***.

Punishing a child physically is often done my many parents. It is an option of punishment or the act of quickly disciple of the children of certain actions. I can not say that I’m against spanking children since it will have to be done by someone whether by school officials or the parents. Spanking teaches children right from wrong. If they misbehave in school, then they need to be the physically punishment. Abusing a child should not ever happen when they are getting spanked. Sometimes a parent does not have to always spank their child of in appropriate conduct (1)***. Positive discipline can be reinforced at the home by having a family meeting once a week and discuss some of the issues the child may be facing that is causing them to suffer the consequences. Instead of always spanking the children, parents should be able to want to teach the child how to be a better respecting person and to help develop good decision making skills. If they are trouble makers, they will gain the sense of being less violent. The child will also understand how to handle challenging situations in a responsible way instead of misbehaving. They should think before they act (6)***. There are always to discipline a child besides getting spanked and having it lead to a case of child abuse.

Parents may not want to be too strict when it comes to raising their child; however, they do not want to seem weak and afraid which may lead to them neglecting their son or daughter. Bad parenting skills do exist in this world. Most likely parents would use the authoritative parenting style since they are not overly restricting their child and they are also being nonviolent in his or her life. Parents as the authoritative figure are going to raise a spoiled child, but let them earn their needs and wants on their own (4)***. A parent of this style may have been raised themselves in this manner offering encouragement when it is needed and learning to do things on their own and not have to depend on someone else. If a child is raised in a traditional household they may not be acceptable at school, but they will show how well mannered and studious they are when report cards goes out (7)***. A parent who is able to handle their child in the authoritative style will not find the need to use physical punishment. The parent will be effective in the raising of their own child and mostly like be appreciated when their child have children of their own to raise. When a child knows that he or she has been granted limited freedom to do what they freely would like to do and being able knows they will have to deal with any consequences from any choice they make, then the child’s self-esteem will be high. A parent that stand his or her ground and give orders, allowing the child to have multiple choices, and having a democratic household will impact their child which leads to a good living environment and a strong family (8)***.

In the future of raising a child, I will use the physical punishment whenever my child misbehaves. If the situation is over the limit of my tolerating the ordeal, then the child will really get more than a spanking. In that case, the spanking will only be viewed as warning. I would use spanking and the beating of the child to support the discipline side of raising my child because he or she should understand right from wrong and learn from mistakes like older people should learn from their past. Using physically punishment will not reach the limit of child abuse because that will affect the child in the way of he or she being scared of me. No child should be really terrified of their parents; however, they should be scared if they know what will happen after getting spanked or told not to do this or that and they still are disobeying. Sometimes I would use different methods to punish the child and maybe even offer choices of punishments. I don’t think I could not go a week without beating on my child or a quick pop upside the head. Things happen, but they should also learn to be a big, mature person and know to think before they act because they all ready know the consequences. So, there are different ways I can punish my child. Physical punishment will come into play when it is actually needed for a child to get hit or scold at for misbehaving.

Sources:

1. http://faculty.biola.edu/paulp/spare_the_rod.htm***
2. http://www.endcorporalpunishment.org/pages/pdfs/Gershoff-2002.pdf***
3. http://www.naturalchild.org/james_kimmel/punishment.html***
4. King, Laura A. The Science of Psychology.***
5. http://www.adolescenthealth.org/PositionPaper_Corporal_Punishment_in_Schools.pdf***
6. http://www.stophitting.com/disathome/PositiveDiscipline-WhatItIsandHowToDoIt.pdf***
7. http://www.brainy-child.com/article/parenting-styles.shtml***
8. http://www.lifematters.com/parenting_styles.asp***
9. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=13&entry_id=12948***
10. http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/H/HE-0678/***