...When Does Discipline Cross the Line to Child Abuse? In this report, I concentrated my research on the fine line between physical discipline and child abuse, with emphasis on spanking vs. not spanking and its effects on children. Included are research from statistics, opposing views and arguments, advocates’ and Department of Children and Families’ position. The use of corporal punishment, or spanking, as a form of parental discipline is a controversial topic. Adults who remember being spanking by a parent for misbehaving may carry on this behavior as an acceptable form of punishment for their own children. Others believe spanking to be an outdated punishment that is cruel and can cross the line to physical abuse. 2010 NATIONAL ABUSE STATISTICS NATIONAL ABUSE STATISTICS - - (www.nationalchildrensalliance.org) nearly five children die every day in America from abuse and neglect. In 2010, an estimated 1,560 children died from abuse and neglect in the United States. Nearly 80% of reported child fatalities as a result of abuse and neglect were caused by one or more of the child victim's parents. Children Welfare League of America (www.cwla.org) In 2010, Connecticut had 45,313 total referrals for child abuse and neglect. Of those, 25,777 reports were referred for investigation and in 2010, 4 children in Connecticut died as a result of...
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...Spanking and beating a child, as a form of discipline, is a major topic and issue amongst families in the world today. Generations ago, spanking was considered the form of punishment, a child should receive, for bad behavior. In today’s world, people feel that spanking has become out of hand and has been seen as a practice of child abuse creating controversy around corporal punishment. In ‘On Spanking and Abuse’, Charles M. Blow talks about corporal punishment in relation to Adrian Peterson and the extent to which he spanked his son. Michael Eric Dyson analyzes Adrian Peterson’s actions as abuse or punishment in the article ‘Punishment or Child Abuse’ and Melinda Wenner Moyer looks at spanking in general in the article ‘When is it OK to Spank?’...
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...Unethical Spanking, is it ethical? Some may say spanking is an effective method of discipline. Others consider spanking a form of child abuse. The difference between hitting and spanking forms a thin line for some, for others, there’s a big difference. Hitting is an aggressive behavior intended to inflict harm and pain onto another person. While spanking is a disciplinary action intended to teach or correct one behavior. Spanking is used to teach appropriate behavior but is often interpreted by the child, that to avoid pain and hurt they should not do what is undesired by their parents, at least not in their view. It is a parent’s job to teach their children about rules, morals and values....
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...Hector Iweka Spanking versus child abuse The most common misconception that spanking is a form of child abuse has now affected the proper discipline of today’s children and young adults. Some parents are actually afraid to discipline their children in the same way they were brought up due to fears of child abuse claims. Are you one of those parents? It is surprising how many of us are. Is there a right or wrong way to discipline children, and who has the say in it? Most experts on child rearing are against spanking in belief that it causes negative long-term effects, but parents who were spanked as a child tend to believe it is the only way to discipline their children when severe behavior problems arise. So do we act on an old-fashioned learned method or concede to following the expert’s advice and find other alternate measures for discipline in hopes that children will behave? Most adults can say they were spanked as a child and they turned out just fine, so what would be wrong with using that same form of discipline on their children? Children need to know the difference between right and wrong. Parents who do spank their children argue that if done properly and only when absolutely necessary, spanking can be an effective disciplinary tool. However, parents who choose not to spank their children, say that hitting a child only teaches them that violence is a way to solve problems that arise. At what age is it appropriate to start disciplining or spanking children? Teaching...
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...arrest involved with this action. Parents who oppose the idea of spanking seem to assume that they have to be gentle and polite with their child to show that they love them dearly, even for their bad behavior over showing who the adult in the household is. Spanking should be done in a fair amount of force with injuring the child in a serious manner. This will not ruin their self-esteem, and it will not cause mental illness...
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...Rafia Syed English M-11 October 15, 2014 PARENTS SHOULD NOT USE SPANKING TO DESCIPLINE THEIR CHILD There is a classic story about the mother who believed in spanking as a necessary part of discipline until one day she observed her three- year-old daughter hitting her one-year-old son. When confronted, her daughter said, “I’m just playing mommy.” This mother always spanked her children. Children love to imitate, especially people whom they love and respect. They perceive that it’s okay for them to do so. Parents should not use spanking to discipline their children because spanking does not improve behavior, it may lead to abuse, and it also brings back bad memories. Firstly, parents should not use spanking to discipline their children because it does not improve the behavior of a child. Many a times we have heard parents say, ‘‘the more we spank the more he misbehaves.’’ Spanking makes a child’s behavior worse, not better. The child who feels right acts right. Spanking undermines the principle. A child who is hit feels wrong inside and this shows up in his behavior. The more he misbehaves, the more he gets spanked and the worse he feels. The cycle continues. We want the child to know that he did wrong, and to feel remorse, but to still believe that he is a person who has a value. One of the goals of disciplinary action is to stop the misbehavior immediately, and spanking may do that. But, it is more important to create a conviction within the child that he doesn’t want...
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...Forms of Discipline: What is best for the child? Children are like flowers, if well taken care of they will bloom. If ignored or tortured, they will wither and die. Child discipline is one of the most important elements of successful parenting. Today, many people have this notion that physical abuse is in no way a solution to helping children discern between right and wrong. Since generations children have been taught the art of discipline through physical punishment. Often this approach to disciplining has resulted in two outcomes, one is where the child becomes more tolerant and is willing to adhere to what he/she has been told, or the other which more often results in children developing a sense of anguish and desire to revolt. Physical punishment often destroys the psychological mindset of a child and can scar his/her childhood, resulting in them to grow up to be particularly irritable and frustrated individuals. Over the decades we have seen that fewer and fewer parents are resorting to this sort of method of violence to discipline their children. However contradictory to all that has been stated, I believe that sometimes parents are caught in a situation when children cross all boundaries of discipline and spanking is the only effective solution. Therefore, it is imperative to do so. Nonetheless, before spanking is even taken into consideration; all the other non-violent forms of discipline should be used. If none work then finally the act of spanking can be justifiable...
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...Should Corporal Punishment be Banned in Homes? The spanking of a child, also known as corporal punishment, by their parent(s) is one of the most common forms of disciplinary action used to date. Although many people have different ideas of what spanking really is, the term universally means “striking the child on the buttocks or extremities with an open hand without inflicting physical injury with the intent to modify behavior.” (Bai) Some parents and researchers would say that spanking one’s child is a form of child abuse because it is practiced with the intent of causing physical pain to the child. However, the use of corporal punishment is necessary because a child who is not disciplined will not learn the difference between right and wrong and should not be against the law for parents to use in their home. When I was five, I got a “spanking” from my father for biting a family member. During and after the spanking I cried and was very upset with my father for what he had done. I thought it was unfair and “mean”. But like my parents, a recent survey estimated that ninety-four percent of parents with children age’s four to five spank their children occasionally. (Larzelere) While some call it discipline, others believe it is a form of violence. Research shows that corporal punishment leads to more serious problems than just getting your feelings hurt. In many cases when a child is spanked, it can leave a lasting impact and cause poorer relationships between a child and the...
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...States Military had practiced and used some kind of corporal punishment in the past. This was used to curb a negative behavior and spanking was widely accepted and used on children during the early and mid-years of The Baby Boomer Generation from 1945-1964. Corporal punishment was a common practice and a method to inflict plain to curb a negative behavior of a child or an adult. Those of us who are old enough hear stories from the Baby Boomer Generation. Teachers, caregivers, and day care centers were permitted to spank someone else’s child. Imagine going to school and failing a test some teachers back then would go as far as hitting a student with a wooden ruler hoping it would curb the behavior of the student to study and pass the next exam. While many parents did not know this was happening to his or hers child. Nevertheless, many people born from 1961-1981 and are from Generation X experienced a something called spanking. This was when a child did something against the social norms of society that parents felt were unacceptable. The child was not subject or spanked by a wooden ruler. An adult spanked he or she...
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...In “Spanking and Discipline” by the Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick, the organization gives information on spanking and whether it is appropriate. It also addresses if spanking a child is against the law and if not, what is the acceptable form of spanking. This works in favor of my position since it gives an understanding of what spanking is and how it can be used legally. As stated in the article, spanking is a form of discipline that corresponds to corporal punishment. According to the article Spanking and Discipline, parents as well as experts have different opinions on whether spanking a child that is misbehaving an acceptable way to control them. It also states that as long as it is considered reasonable, it is not against the law. Now what is considered reasonable ? Well according to Public Legal Education and Information Service, reasonable force means that the pain is short lived and not harmful. With that being said the parent should be mindful of how many spanks the child receives and should...
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...The Pros of Spanking Children Here are the main advantages of spanking children: When correctly used, this can be an important tool for parents. When spanking children is used correctly, this can really be an effective and safe means for parents to discipline their children. When it comes to disciplining children, it is important for parents to do everything as gently and kindly as they can. They must try to understand their children and ensure that they understand the things expected of them. It gives relief for parents from their frustrations. Spanking will not only stop children from misbehaving but also offers lots of relief for parents from their frustrations because of how they children behave. This has also believed to stop children’s certain behavior. Establishes the meaning of authority Quick short-term compliance outcome Those who believe that spanking is an appropriate and effective way to punish their children, generally think that children need to understand that it is important not to do bad things. They feel that a spanking will send their children a loud and clear message that what they did was wrong. Most people, who believe in spanking as a means of punishment, grew up in a home where spanking took place. They feel that the spankings they received as a child taught them a lesson and they want to teach that same lesson to their children. Proponents of spanking do have some studies that show that spanking can be effective at least on a short-term basis...
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...have to discipline our children, as heartbreaking as it can be at times we have to do it in order to show them right from wrong. This being said, all parents raise their children different and have a different definition of what the appropriate punishment is for their child. Over the past couple of years, a huge controversy had been made over parents using corporal punishment such as spanking to discipline their child. Corporal punishment is the use of physical force causing pain, but not wounds, as a means of discipline.” Spanking, rapping on the head and slapping are forms of corporal punishment which we do not classify as abuse. There are two factors to be taken into consideration when distinguishing between corporal punishment and physical abuse: intensity: the extent to which injuries have resulted from the use of violence, intention: the extent to which the intention is to teach/discipline. Corporal punishment is just one of the wrong ways to discipline a child. The aim is not to substitute corporal punishment with psychological abuse but to discipline without using violence (UNICEF, 2010). Corporal punishment is a tremendous controversial issue among Americans all across the country. Many studies have been researched to prove the behavior of children that have been disciplined with corporal punishment and how it affects the well-being of the child at the present time as well as in the future. Parents are not the only individuals that have been allowed to discipline their...
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...One of the biggest debates in child bearing is the choice whether or not to spank your kids. To me spanking is kind of like a right of passage here in the south. It is so widely accepted here because it’s a part of our culture. Our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and so forth were spanked and it seems like something that is passed on from one generation to the next. As defined in Kazdin and Benjet’s article “Spanking Children: Evidence and Issues”, discipline including “hitting children is intertwined with religious beliefs, cultural views, government, law, and soil policy and has enormous implications for mental and physical health throughout the world” (2003). According to “Is it Ever Appropriate to Spank a Child?” over “90 percent of parents in the United States spank their child or...
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...Final Research Paper Is corporal punishment needed to discipline children? PSY 101 Introductions to Psychology Lenai Carraway December 17, 2012 Corporal punishment seems to be the most popular way in which people had chosen to punish their children in the past. Many parents were raised in homes that used spanking as the main form of discipline and can readily recount each time he, or she received a spanking for an offense, and even remember what kind of instrument was used to inflict the punishment. Today corporal punishment is a controversial subject, which leaves one wondering if corporal punishment is needed to discipline children. It is my belief that corporal punishment is not necessarily the best possible way to discipline children in this ever changing society we live in. Throughout this research paper, I will discuss some side effects that can occur in children from corporal punishment when administered either at home or school and some theories behind it. “Corporal punishment is defined as the use of physical force causing pain, but not wounds as a means of discipline.” (Educate, don’t punish, 1999) Now, it has becomes difficult to draw the line between abuse and corporal punishment. Corporal punishment can range from a simple spanking to a tapping of the hand. While some parents do go to the extreme in punishing their children, I do not believe it is the majority of parents who abuse their children. In my mind, a swat on the butt or a tap...
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...The subject of physical discipline, or spanking, has been debated by parents and mental health professionals for generations. Researchers, along with parents, frequently differ in opinion on whether spanking truly causes permanent, negative psychological impact, or whether it results positively, in a more disciplined and successful child. But what does the research say? Interestingly, there have been studies that support both sides. The research to discredit the effectiveness of spanking is plentiful, while research in support of spanking is scarce; however, both arguments merit equal and thorough examination in order to form an informed opinion. In an effort to prove or disprove the effects, Elizabeth Gershoff of the University of Michigan conducted a meta-analysis in which she reviewed 88 studies conducted over a period of 62 years (Gershoff, 2002). During her research, Gershoff found that there was indeed one desirable outcome which prevailed as a direct result of spanking - immediate obedience. For example, if a child is using a...
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