Spanking is Not the Best Alternative for Disciplining Children - Essay Sample

Introduction

Spanking has been significant controversy in modern society. Spanking is perceived as a corrective measure for a child not acting up usually done by hitting the child's bottom with an open hand. The reason behind spanking is to make the child aware of their misbehavior. However, according to the disciplinary technique has been found to cause social developmental challenges. A study by , indicates a positive response towards spanking as a disciplinary technique. Pingleton (2014), argues that spanking is appropriately effective in that parents should understand how to offer disciplinary measure out of love than out anger for the safety of the child. Albeit the supportive contexts on spanking, the essay gives an account of how the disciplinary measure contributes to the socioemotional and developmental aspects of the child. Moreover, the document crosschecks on correctional measures aimed at suppressing some qualities brought about spanking.

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Information

Several scholars have deemed it unadvisable for spanking a disciplinary measure. In turn, several authors explore different approaches to punishing. Dadds & Tully (2019), point out that giving a child timeout is the best disciplinary measure for mental health development and psychopathology. The seclusion gives the child a life skill lesson in which their misbehavior will be met with a lack of attention, making them uncomfortable that they will behave well in the future. Morin (2018) insists on logical consequences which are linked to child misbehavior. Linking child misbehavior teaches them to understand choices have consequences. Besides, good rewarding behavior acts as turn around from misbehavior. The claims above are valid since spanking does not mentor children to behave. it worsens by making children feel ashamed and aggravating aggression

Rhetoric and Fallacies

While the claim on the alternative methods to spanking on children is valid, some claims by those opposed to the concept are ridiculous. For instance, Perrin, Cindy, and Jeongbin quote Proverbs 13:24, "Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him." This means that whenever a parent or guardian fails to spank their child, they will eventually hate them. For a parent who loves their children, spanking is mandatory to instill discipline. According to Pingleton's narrative regarding the NFL running back, Adrian Peterson being arrested for child abuse (PINGLETON). A controversy arose on whether a child should be spank or not. Pingleton beings by explaining the need for an intrinsic motive towards child spanking. He argues that as long as parents spank out of love and not adults venting their emotions, then it is acceptable. Perrin, Cindy, and Jeongbin point out that it is hard for people to understand how one spanks a child out of love than abusing the child

Nearly all parents argue that they strictly discipline their children out of love, but that may not always be the case.

Furthermore, the Medical News Today clearly states that children who are spanked hit, pushed have an increased risk of mental problems. Research evidence shows that spanking is a risky strategy which will have adverse effects on the child. It will affect their behavior, parent-child behavior, and when they get married, it will pour into their relationship. A parent should discontinue spanking children. It should not be allowed if it is not done properly.

Research

According the American Academy of Pediatrics, researchers found that spanking is least effective discipline. Researchers surveyed parents that thought spanking was effective. The parents believed that the spanking causes the children to behave better over time, they believed that spanking will cause the children to behave better. The results show children did not learn the lessons the parent was trying to teach by spanking. The results show that children began feeling resentful, helpless, and humiliated after being spanked. Another study done by Duke University, show that children that were spanked as 1-year old are more likely to behave aggressively. A pediatrics study with Tulane University, led by Dr. Catherine Taylor conducted a study showing that spanking causes issues like depression, drug abuse, and spousal abuse (SCHWARTZ). Most child abusers are ones that were spanked. Their mental illness makes them feel powerful, by spanking their child.

Researchers have shown that spanking causes long term issues. Children develop mental illness, they become immune to the spanking. It also teaches children that hitting is ok to solve problems. It also shows that is ok for a big person to hit a small child. In the child's mind, the child sees that parent hitting him/her, so they think it is ok to hit smaller kids. Parents are children's model, so if they are getting physical punishment, it becomes a learned behavior (Shelov et al.). The child thinks that hitting solves problems and expresses how they feel. Often children are too young to understand why they are getting spanked, so they don't get the lesson that was supposed to be learned from spanking. They know they did something wrong, but why did they get hit. Children cannot understand the statement I hurt you because you did something wrong. They grow up thinking they can hurt people because they did something wrong to them. Many time spankings can get out of hand, if the child is older. The child may want to fight back.

The best disciplinary methodology addresses the standard of legitimate worry of the bad behavior. A kid who comprehends the explanation behind the discipline is preferred set to change conduct over one who gets a beating for an apparent trouble making (Abbasi). There are a few option disciplinary methodologies a parent can utilize separated from beating. They incorporate breaks and removing something the youngster esteems. These methodologies have ingrained control in numerous youngsters and changed their examples of conduct. The viability of the methodology addresses its part of showing the kid to separate among wrong and right (Levy, Naff, Terry and Coffee). Furthermore, it acquires the idea of compensating right doing through endowments and benefits.

Conclusion

In conclusion, parents should do more talking to the kids and fine a more reasonable and productive way to punish a child. Researchers have shown that spanking causes long term issues. Children develop mental illness, they become immune to the spanking. Spanking can be effective if done right, however most parents do it in anger, and it is not effective. Bottom line is that spanking should be banned in the United States, like most countries have done. It is against the law for an adult to hit another adult, so the same mentality should be used toward children. Children cannot hit back or protect themselves. Adults get mad if another adult hits them, so it should be the same for children. Parents need to think of other ways to discipline children. Spanking children has been shown through studies, and research to be ineffective. Stop hitting children and teach them how to be successful, thoughtful individuals.

Works Cited

Levy, Rachel, et al. "A Review of Disciplinary Interventions in K12 Public Education." (2018).

Abbasi, Jennifer. "American Academy of Pediatrics Says No More Spanking or Harsh Verbal Discipline." Jama 321.5 (2019): 437-439.

Gershoff, Elizabeth T., and Andrew Grogan-Kaylor. "Spanking and child outcomes: old controversies and new meta-analyses." Journal of family psychology 30.4 (2016): 453.

Perrin, Robin, Cindy Miller-Perrin, and Jeongbin Song. "Changing attitudes about spanking using alternative biblical interpretations." International Journal of Behavioral Development 41.4 (2017): 514-522.

Lee, Shawna J., Inna Altschul, and Elizabeth T. Gershoff. "Wait until your father gets home? Mother's and fathers' spanking and development of child aggression." Children and Youth Services Review 52 (2015): 158-166.

PINGLETON, JARED. "Http://Time.Com". Time, 2019, http://time.com/3387226/spanking-can-be-an-appropriate-form-of-child-discipline/. Accessed 26 May 2019.

Shelov, Steven P. et al. "Caring For Your Baby And Young Child, 6Th Ed Page 3". Reader.Aappublications.Org, 2019, https://reader.aappublications.org/caring-for-your-baby-and-young-child-6th-ed/3.

Morin, Amy. "Will Spanking Kids Really Scar Them For Life?". Verywell Family, 2019, https://www.verywellfamily.com/is-spanking-children-a-good-way-to-discipline-1094756. Accessed 26 May 2019.

SCHWARTZ, ALLAN. "Toddler Spanking - Abuse". Mentalhelp.Net, 2019, https://www.mentalhelp.net/blogs/toddler-spanking/. Accessed 26 May 2019.