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Spanking

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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 parent. Also, there is an increase in aggression and violence in the child. This can continue throughout their life and cause more problems, such as criminal behavior. Once a parent spanks their child once, they are more likely to continue spanking the child as a form of a quick fix. This act can very well lead to the abuse of the child. In a report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it shows that 2.1 out of every 1,000 children experience physical abuse. (Knox) While there are many physical outcomes of disciplinary action, many don’t see the emotional and mental outcomes. Very often spanking leads to the decrease in mental health in not only the childhood, but also adulthood. When the child is raised in an environment where corporal punishment is considered okay, they are more likely to continue this act on their child, and sometimes even their spouse. As you see, there are many lasting impacts on a child as a result of corporal punishment. Aside from the negative aspects of corporal punishment, there are actually some logical benefits from the act. Some would say that the idea of causing pain to the child is considered abusive, but the logic is that corporal punishment is supposed to be painful. No parent wants to hurt their child, but sometimes it is necessary to use this punishment to stop unwanted behavior. If a parent was to let the misbehavior go unpunished, there would be far more consequences as a result. There is no doubt that spanking a child is an intense punishment, however in some cases you need to use the intenseness to get the job done when other forms of punishment aren’t working so well. Also, you need intense punishment when the child’s misbehavior is dangerous or just undermines the parent’s authority. Though the act of punishing your child is sometimes uncomfortable, it is an effective way of teaching discipline. When the child misbehaves and is punished using corporal punishment parents should keep in mind why they are resulting to this method. They should never try to embarrass their child by spanking them and also should not use the method of spanking in front of others. Parents should also remember not to spank their child out of anger. If the parent feels they may harm the child physically due to their anger, they should take some time to “cool off” and then provide discipline to their child. (Knox) This lowers the chance of taking what would be an ordinary means of discipline and turning it into an act of violence towards the child. No matter how bad the child has acted, parents should never leave bruises or welps on the child. If the parent feels their anger will turn into violence, other methods of discipline should be used. For example, they could put the child in time out or take away toys and/or electronic devices. Also, the parent may choose to take away privileges, give the child extra chores to do, or verbally reprimand the child. Although it is important to discipline your child, it is also extremely important to use positive reinforcement. If a parent finds their child doing something good, praise them. Parents should make it a habit to encourage good behavior from their children because it is often the best way to reduce the negative behaviors before they occur.
Though I was spanked as a child and was left feeling hurt and upset over it, I learned a lesson from each spanking. I do not see my parents as cruel people because they used corporal punishment. My parents used corporal punishment on me and my siblings in order to teach us right from wrong and that was necessary. Therefore, parents should be allowed to choose which means of disciplinary action they want to use on their children and if the choice of spanking is the best option, they should not be viewed as “abusive”. An occasional spanking to teach a child to follow instructions and stay within safe boundaries is reasonable. When a child misbehaves, we need to spank them so that they realize that they cannot behave as they wish and that they need to respect the rules laid out for them. Failure to ever discipline children causes them to fail to develop internal boundaries and self-control, decreasing the amount of respect the show towards parents and figures of authority and inability to follow instructions. Spanking will not destroy children. But failure to discipline them to stay within safe boundaries and obey instructions will cause them to fail as adults; spanking is simply the easiest and most certain way to do this. Physical abuse should be banned, but parents need to have the right to reprimand their child as long as it is not abusive. Spanking with an open hand is not a form of abuse and it should not be treated in that way.

Works Cited
Knox, Michele, and Jennifer Lentini. "On Spanking." Pediatrics For Parents 26.5/6 (2010): 25- 27. Consumer Health Complete - EBSCOhost. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.
Larzelere, Robert E. "Are Spanking Injunctions Scientifically Supported?." Law And Contemporary Problems 73.(2010): 57. LexisNexis Academic: Law Reviews. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.
Yu Bai, et al. "Correlates And Consequences Of Spanking And Verbal Punishment For Low-Income White, African American, And Mexican American Toddlers." Child Development 5 (2009): 1403. JSTOR Arts & Sciences IV. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.

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