Corporal Punishment and the Damages of Spanking on Children

?CORPORAL PUNISHMENT AND THE DAMAGES OF SPANKING ON CHILDREN You have probably heard the expression, â€Å"spare the rod, and spoil the child. † Do you agree with it? Perhaps you were spanked as a kid. Was it appropriate? Some people see spanking as an outdated method of punishment or even child abuse, while others view a swat on the bottom as a parent's prerogative. People differ a lot on their views when it comes to administering corporal punishment on children. While some view it as being barbaric, some consider those who spare the rod and spoil the child to be sloppy in their tutorage of children. The basis for taking an exemption to the administration of corporal punishment on children might stem from legal, educational, medical, communal and even economic reasons. Where do we draw the line when it comes to disciplining our children? When considering if the administration of corporal punishment is good or wrong, some questions have to be initially answered. What can be referred to as corporal punishment? What precipitates corporal punishment? What effects can corporal punishment accomplished? Is the practice healthy in all and any ramifications? Are there noticeable differences in the lives of adults that were/were not subjected to corporal punishments? Based on these, should the practice be discouraged or continued? If these questions are successfully answered without bias or prejudice, the issue of if or if not corporal punishment administration on children will be laid to rest. Corporal punishment is the intentional infliction of pain on the human body for purposes of punishment or controlling behavior. It includes slapping, spanking, and forcing to stand for long periods of time; spanking involves hitting with the palm of the hand. Children often undergo some form of corporal punishment in response to punishment for flouting of rules, regulations or norms, failing grades, exhibition of unwholesome traits and so on. Quite agreeably, corporal punishments might have succeeded in curbing the delinquencies of juveniles in some cases. However, the effects are definitely short lived and results often in astronomical failures! Obedience to an authority out of love and respect is more sustainable as compared to obedience evoke from fear and dominion. It common situations in homes that children often tend to do what is not expected of them to do if there is an element of risk involved (corporal punishment and spanking in this case). If a parent patiently explains why using of a particular brand of drug might be helpful, the child respectfully obeys; however, in cases where threats are issued, intriguing human nature sets in and the rule is disobeyed! If restrictions are placed on the freedom of children without issuance of threats and physical abuse, but lovingness, patience and kindness is expended, the tendency to disobey is greatly reduced. Research have shown that people that end up being serial killers, rapist, drug dependents and who involve in all social vices are most times, the victims of physical abuse brought about by spanking (Gershoff , 2002). Children and people in general that are subjected to corporal punishment lack or have reduced empathy and human compassion for other people (Lopez, Bonenberger, & Schneider, 2001). Any effect of corporal punishment is negative (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1998; Lytton, 1997; J. McCord, 1997; Straus, 1994a). Those who do not become bullies end up being timid and insipid people that have no control over their own minds. Such people do not know what it means to be loved, have self respect and to respect others. The only way they can communicate love is via pain and suffering (at least that is the way they were brought up), and that good and lessons can only be learnt or achieved through hardship, pain and suffering. As adults, they become the inflictor of pain because they have always being the recipient (Gershoff & Bitensky, 2007). Furthermore, parents that practice corporal punishment are often times victims of corporal punishment when they were children. Why should the hate cycle continue? Being spanked is an emotional event. Adults often remember with crystal clarity times they were paddled or spanked as children. Many adults look back on corporal punishment in childhood with great anger and sadness. Sometimes people say, â€Å"I was spanked as a child, and I deserved it. † It is hard for us to believe that people who loved us would intentionally hurt us. We feel the need to excuse that hurt. Spanking often leave bruises, marks and wounds which sometimes may never heal or leave it trails. Medically, this is unacceptable. Bearing marks of manhandling often times results in emotion mess and immaturity, sporadic acts of wickedness, cowardice and lack of self assurance. Peers of children who are being spanked often tease and bully such. They cannot concentrate on their education both in school and at home. Adult survivors of abuse are subject to a substantial array of long term effects of their abuse. In Cruz and Essen (1994) a variety of effects are suggested including emotional roblems, behavioral problems, physical problems, sexual dysfunction problems and social problems. Psychological abuse of children has been described as the most ambiguous to define and yet maybe the most common type of abuse to be inflicted on children by parents. Legally, children have rights under the international human rights charter that are often contravened with the administration of corporal punishments. Can those who carry out corporal punishment set their actions within the confines of the law? Most sadly, no! Studies show that even a few instances of being hit as children are associated with more depressive symptoms as adults (Strauss, 1994, Strassberg, Dodge, Pettit & Bates, 1994). A landmark meta-analysis of 88 corporal punishment research studies of over six decades showed that corporal punishment of children was associated with negative outcomes including increased delinquent and antisocial behavior, increased risk of child abuse and spousal abuse, increased risk of child aggression and adult aggression, decreased child mental health and decreased adult mental health (Gershoff, 2002). While most of us who were spanked turned out OK, it is likely that not being spanked would have helped us turn out to be healthier. It is important to note that corporal punishment is not the only form of correcting undesirable traits in children (Day and Roberts, 1983; Roberts and Powell, 1990). Often times, parent/guardian and children relationship are at best frosty when incidences of child spanking and corporal punishment are melted out. Love and respect fosters better relationship and communal existence, than fear and domination, which is the product of spanking. Children find it easier to deal with daily problems in a mature manner, and they grow up to be responsible and law abiding adults. Even in most species of animals, biting and kicking is absent between offspring and parents, yet communion in such class is excellent; obedience to the call of a parent, following hierarchy and abiding within existing norms and social standings are respected. Should not human parents show some intelligence superior to animal parents? The society has nothing to lose and everything to gain if spanking is abolished. In the absence of corporal punishment, the society thrives happily on the reduction in crimes of juveniles, adult sociopaths and other child abuse related problems. Also, it makes the society saner and more civilized. For instance, children that are continually subjected to corporal punishment see no issue with picking up a fight, being bullies and destructive agents. They often seek companionship with people of their like minds, resulting in the proliferation of delinquent gangs, whose sole end results are vices such as drugs dealing, rape, stealing and robbery, wanton destruction and creating public unrest. An end to spanking and corporal punishment will see an end to a lot of the unnecessary evil crimes being perpetuated in our society. REFERENCES American Academy of Pediatrics. (1998). Guidance for effective discipline. Pediatrics, 101, 723–728. Day, D. E. , & Roberts, M. W. (1983). An analysis of the physical punishment component of a parent-training program. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 11, 141–152. Gershoff, E. T. (2002). 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