Does Spanking a Child Really Cause Long Term Damage?

Posted by admin on Jul 12, 2012 in Life Strategies | 14 commentsThe American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that corporal punishment in schools be abolished in all states by law and that alternative forms of student behavior management be used.The Academy offers the following alternatives to spanking…The American Academy of Pediatrics offers several child discipline alternatives to spanking and other forms of corporal punishment. Some children respond well to time-out sessions and loss of privileges. The American Academy of Pediatrics also supports the use of natural consequences. For example, a toddler who destroys a toy during a tantrum can no longer play with it. Some parenting experts, including Alfie Kohn (author of “Unconditional Parenting” and “Punished by Rewards”), disapprove entirely of the use of punishments and rewards and instead support the use of ongoing communication and other child-centered discipline techniques. FULL ARTICLE A recent study published in the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics links harsh physical punishment with increased risk for mental disorders, including anxiety disorders, substance abuse and depression. Many other previous studies confirm these results.
I am a product of corporal punishment and I believe it has its place as a form of discipline. I don’t believe it is the only form that can be effective but I do consider it as an effective means to discipline. We all can remember the days when we would get ‘paddled’ in school. My parents were also architects of this method at home.As far as I can remember, I don’t recall anyone of my classmates or siblings developing psychological or emotional issues as a result of this method is disciplining. For what it’s worth, it made us better students in my opinion.For , check out Perspectives TV contributor, Paula M. Sims article on “Spare The Rod, Spoil The Child.”It didn’t cause any problems in my life & when I had children I raised them in the same way & the are productive citizens! I do not believe in being abusive however I do condone spanking!Spanking didn’t cause any long term damage for me or my sons. As a matter of fact, my oldest graduated from HS in May & he’s leaving for college next month. He’s never been in trouble while in school or outside of it. Both of my sons are very well mild mannered young men. “Spare the rod, spoil th child.”I agree with the both of you. I do believe in spanking but not abusive behavior. Maybe if spanking was still allowed in schools we wouldnt have the problems we have today with young people. Just a thought.Wow I thought that corporal punishment (caning as we called it in the UK) was outlawed in state schools a long time ago, as it was in UK state schools in 1986, but remained legal in independent schools until 1998. Teachers & other educators use a variety of other punishments & classroom managements with some more successful than others.I wasn’t ‘caned’ at school, but at home it was the norm to have corporal punishment enforced. It made me think more about the consequence’s of my actions. As parent I felt that the occasional tap was OK, but stopped as my children responded more to less physical punishment.I feel that communication & getting children to be responsible for their own actions works better. I have never allowed ANYONE to hit my children, be them an educator or other & I never physically punished or hit a child when I worked as a teacher. I just doesn’t work any more.Yes it was outlawed however its still a very en vogue topic. It always makes for good discussion. So many people come from different points of view based on their own life experiences.It doesn’t cause any damages if it is done right. There is a difference in spanking and abusing. It is an idiot that would call a spanking abuse. Our youth today have been ruined as a result of less spankings, in an effort to be better parents than ours. Dimwits, you are productive today as a result of those “beatings”! Those disciplinary methods caused us to rethink some of our actions. When we fail to discipline our children, we render a disservice to them and our communities. Be honest, which would you rather have, a temporary butt lashing that will spare their souls, or the judicial system beating them with sticks, pepper spray and tasers?I totally agree. Great point.As a child I received plenty of whippings, also known as beat downs in todays youth vocabulary. I was talked to and at, meaning that sometimes the conversation came as calm redirections but when my parents felt like those nice conversations weren’t doing the job I got hollered at which made me zone out, or shut down and even brought about mixed emotions about what my parents really wanted out of me. As a young adult and parent now of two wonderful kids, I often now raise my voice and even talk calmly to them to get different outcomes from situations that I may or may not approve of. So yes, when there is little tolerance for the continuation of talking to my kids they get whippings and the instant gratification of improvement in their behavior is that of a lightning bolt. A whipping tends to stick and have a child rethink their decisions before they duplicate the action, where in time out a child has plenty of time to think; what will I do next? You will be talking for the rest of your life to your kids but train them in the way they should go now and later maybe they won’t run into pyschological or emotional issues.If spanking was still allowed in schools, would you permit the teachers to discipline your children in that way?Growing up beating was necessary. I remember having the teachers and neighbors not only help raised us, but also chastise us. This made us appreciate the people around us. Looking at todays youth, they are so ungrateful and unappreciative. If they go back to discipline in the homes and schools, I believe we will be able to save our youth. Believe it or not, but beatings builded a bond with the family.I grew up in South America and all of us kids got beatings when we messed up…from parents, teachers, neighbours etc. Didn’t cause any of us long-term damage. In fact, we look back and laugh about them now. We are also grateful, especially when we observe young people today. A lot of them needed or need some discipline…not necessarily beatings, but a firmer hand.Great comment Willow. I totally agree.Spare the rod spoil the child…now that doesnt mean you abuse, it means you discipline. If you love your child, you discipline your child.
I can remember getting some severe “whoopings” with “switches” , drop cords, and one time with a broom (Ouch!!!) today i am fine, i would never resort to beating my boys that severely, however, I am a black-belt……….lol!I was spanked as a child and it certainly did not cause me any long-term damages. If anything, it made me a better person and made me the person that I am today. Child abuse on the other hand, is totally different and really can cause long-term damages. Now a days, children are totally different than what we were years ago, so at times, spanking is definitely needed. We can use certain forms of punishment or discipline as a substitute and it still does not work. In my opinion, if it takes a spanking to get the child in order, then that is what it has to be.