Children should not be spanked in order to discipline them for a negative behavior.

Agree or Disagree

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I agree with the statement that children should not be spanked in order to discipline them for a negative behavior. There are, many reasons cited as to why you should not use spanking as a means of correcting a negative behavior. Spanking a child shows that “stronger” is right. This makes a child believes that whomever is bigger and stronger decides what is right and wrong. It also shows that violence solves problem. It has also been noted that spanking destroys self-esteem. Spanking also increases the likelihood of developing mental health symptoms later in life. It also causes a bad parent to child relationship and this causes mistrust. Besides, it makes a child afraid and when a child is afraid it becomes difficult for them to learn. It also causes a child to lie to avoid detection or even to avoid you. In short, it is not advisable to spank children in order to discipline them to correct a bad behavior bearing in mind the negative consequences it causes.

Spanking a child shows that “stronger” is right. Spanking is a means of physical punishment and it has been shown to send a very bad image to a child according to Olver.You use physical strength to spank a child and this means that you are punishing him or her because you are stronger. Children come to believe that older people who are stronger or bigger than them have the rights to punish them. Those children who were spanked when they grow and become stronger tend to abuse those people who are weaker than them. This has resulted in increase in abuse whereby young people physically abuse older and weaker people because they are stronger than them. Children believe that being stronger gives you the right to decide what is right and wrong. They abuse children who are younger than them just because they are stronger and they thinks that they are supposed to decide what is right and wrong for them.

Spanking gives an example that violence is a way of solving problems. When you spank a child, it’s a form of physical punishment and it portrays violence. Children think that their discipliners are being violent by spanking them. Punishing children is also seen as a form of bullying. Besides, other factors that contribute to aggressiveness in children such as mother’s depression, drug abuse, spousal abuse or even whether the mother considered abortion when pregnant, spanking remained the chief cause of violent behavior in children, (Cathrine, et al).This violence is even displayed to the younger children by the elder ones and even to the parents when these children grows up. Parents should learn other better ways of disciplining their children when they wrong them because spanking sends a wrong message to the children. Violence should never be shown as a way of solving problems because this is totally wrong and that is why am agreeing that spanking should never be used as a disciplinary measure to correct bad behavior.

Spanking has also been shown to interfere with self-esteem of a child. It becomes confusing when children are hit or spanked by the same people who are supposed to protect them. It makes children question themselves and asks what could be wrong with them.it makes children hate themselves because they believe that parents are supposed to protect them and not harm them and this lowers their self-esteem. Spanking has in the long run been associated with development of antisocial behavior and also causes low esteem as stated by Dr.Patrick.If you want your child to succeed in life, and then you should not do things that can lower her self-esteem.

Spanking as a means of discipline measure to correct bad behavior has also been associated with the cause of mental health symptoms later in life. According to Gershoff E, T. (15), physical punishment such as spanking has been linked with childrens’mental impairments such as anxiety, depression, drug abuse and general psychological maladjustments. He also said that, one means by which it causes mental impairments in children is by increasing the stress levels. Despite causing mental impairments, it causes a bad parent to child relationship. Children trust their parents as they see parents as the only means of their protection, so when a parent spank a child, that child cannot trust him or her any more.Besides,the child comes to fear their punishers whether parents or even their teachers. This makes learning difficult because a child can’t learn when he or she is afraid.Dr.Bruce has shown that it is biologically impossible to learn when you are in a fearful environment. He explains that, when a child is in fearful situation, the brain cannot process the message, “10 Reasons Spanking Your Kids is a Bad Idea”.

It’s clear that spanking should not be used as a discipline measure to correct bad behavior. This is because despite stopping the bad behavior immediately it has been shown to cause more negative effects. Corporal punishments elicit the negative feelings that were not intended such as anger, distress fear and shame. People should replace corporal punishments with better alternatives such as promoting words instead of actions. Don’t be fast to hit instead give a listening ear. They should also learn to use positive reinforcements such as praise or rewards as they have been shown to cause long term behavior compliance. Lastly parents should set a good example to their children and they will emulate the good behaviors. In short, people should find better alternatives of correcting bad behavior instead of using corporal punishments.

References.

“10 Reasons Spanking Your Kids is a Bad Idea”n.d.Web.7th October, 2013.

Catherine A, Jennifer A. M, HYPERLINK “http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/search?author1=Shawna+J.+Lee&sortspec=date&submit=Submit” Shawna J. L, and HYPERLINK “http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/search?author1=Janet+C.+Rice&sortspec=date&submit=Submit” Janet C. R. Mothers’ Spanking of 3-Year-Old Children and Subsequent Risk of Children’s Aggressive Behavior: Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. (doi: 10.1542/peds.2009-2678).Web. April 12, 2010.

Dr Patrick J, M: Here’s why I don’t encourage spanking.aboutkidshealth n.d.Web.24th August, 2009.

Gershoff E, T: Report on Physical Punishment in the United States; What Research Tells Us About Its Effects on Children. Columbus, OH: Center for Effective Discipline, 2008.

Olver, K. “ HYPERLINK “http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/08/16/why-shouldnt-you-spank-your-kids-heres-9-reasons/” o “Permanent Link: Why Shouldn’t You Spank Your Kids? Here’s 9 Reasons” Why Shouldn’t You Spank Your Kids? Here’s 9 Reasons”n.d.Web.6th November,2009.