Parental Spanking Issues - Essay Example

Throughout the history of mankind, parents have adopted various means to ensure that their children are brought up in discipline and spanking has been one of the most widely-used ways of disciplining a child. Spanking a child for misbehaving has been a topic widely debated in the realm of parenting and some people affirm that it is a form of child abuse which teaches the child the early lessons of violence. However, Parental Spanking is an appropriate form of discipline because it effectively teaches the child that the act of misbehaving sometimes comes with serious consequences. If used with utmost carefulness and good intention, there is no other way as effective as spanking to discipline a misbehaving child. According to Shane Tucker, “Spanking is an appropriate form of punishment when used effectively, and not merely as an angry reaction to behaviour” (Tucker). Therefore, spanking is an appropriate form of punishment to discipline a naughty child and it is a legal, socially-tolerated, and biblically-supported means of disciplining the child.

First of all, parental spanking is a good form of discipline because it is most effective in disciplining the child and it causes no problems to the child if implemented effectively. It is the most widely used and effective way of immediately reducing or stopping an unwanted behaviour of the child and it is not very harmful to the child. “Spanking can immediately reduce or stop an unwanted behaviour if used extremely infrequently in selective circumstances (for instance when the child’s behaviour is so unsafe or dangerous that he could be significantly or permanently harmed. It is possibly not harmful if fully accepted within a person’s culture, ethnicity, class, or religious affiliation and is done occasionally by loving parents who give reasons for their actions” (Pearson and Stamford, 64). Significantly, there is no credible evidence to prove that spanking is harmful to children and that it damages the parent-child relationship.

Next, parental spanking is a good form of discipline because it is a legal, widely used and socially tolerated method of disciplining a child with behavioural disorders. It gives the parents an effective means of parenting and it does not spoil the parent-child relationship. “Spanking is a legal and socially tolerated method of disciplining young children and most parents of children with behaviour disorders are spanking several times each day” (Hembree-Kigin and McNeil, 94). Therefore, spanking is a common but effective way of disciplining a child with misconduct and it is widely used in every society.

Finally, parental spanking is a good form of discipline because it gives the children good learning about things to do and not to do. From the practical side of the question, being a parent is one of the hardest jobs in the world and maintaining child discipline is the most challenging aspect of parenthood. The role of spanking is that it teaches children their limits and mistakes with immediate effect and, if it is carefully employed, it can never cause serious damage to the mental, physical, or social growth of the child. “Spanking is an appropriate form of discipline because it teaches a child limits. Spanking is not harmful unless it is excessive… Unfortunately, a child will not learn how to respect authority if a parent is too permissive. Boundaries are crucial when raising a child” (Diggs). There is also evidence from the Bible that proves the utility of parental spanking in child discipline and progress.

In conclusion, the act of spanking affirms parental discipline and it is an appropriate means to discipline a child with misconduct. The pain in parental spanking is real, but temporary and it gives the child an effective lesson about good behaviour. To spank or not to spank is a question that parents answer in the process of disciplining their children. “If parents decide to mildly spank their children they should determine when spanking is appropriate -- when the child is in danger, after the first time the child misbehaves or as a last resort after the child has repeatedly misbehaved” (Haynes, 64). In short, there are various significant reasons and evidence to think that parental spanking is a good form of discipline. Read More

 

Read More