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Pro: Physical Discipline

It’s Friday night and you, as a parent, decide to take your four year old boy to the movies. He starts running up and down the aisles, disturbing others, and potentially hurting himself. What are you, as the parent, supposed to do? Do you Say “Hey Sammy, please stop. If you don’t you’ll be on time out for 15 minutes after we get home.”? No, you threaten to spank him if he takes one more stride.

First off, there is a difference between physical discipline and child abuse. Discipline is for the child, and is necessary for his or her future, while abuse is not.

But where do we draw the line between abuse and constructive discipline? In my opinion I think that going to the extent of making your children eat dirt, or using your fists is a bit much. On the other hand, America shouldn’t have Child Protective Services on speed dial. The occasional slap is nothing to freak out about.

Furthermore, physical punishment is even legal in school in some states. According to http://school.familyeducation.com, 21 states permit some form of physical punishment in schools.  Schools in the South, as well as Arizona, Texas, Idaho, Colorado, and parts of the Midwest all permit corporal punishment.

Corporal punishment is probably one of the most effective ways to discipline a child. It’s definitely the quickest way to get a positive change in behavior. It’s both quick, and has no cost. But the most important thing is that the child learns what is right and what is wrong.

Of course some people would argue that spanking increases the aggressiveness and chance for depression. However, according to “Corporal Punishment Social Theory and Practice”, by David Benatar, moderate physical punishment is not physiologically damaging.  Children who are moderately punished infrequently will not be physiologically changed.

Besides, spanking should be a last resort. Hardly any parents will spank their kids without warning. The child knows what will happen if they don’t obey his or her parents, and they can choose to listen or choose not to. Spanking helps teach a child to make the right choice. Which is why, according to http://www.totalmakeoverparentingsystem.com/, spanking is most effective with children two to six years old. The child’s decision and behavior decides whether he or she will be punished.

Overall, physical punishment is an acceptable tool for responsible parents to have in their disciplinary arsenal.  Children these days are being raised with low respect for others. It wouldn’t hurt to take precautions so we end up with one less Paris Hilton.

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Written by Steven Hong

Steven is now a senior at MC, and Co-Editor-In-Chief of the MC Sun. He enjoys playing volleyball and has been playing it for a number of years now. Besides volleyball, Steven enjoys to eat in his free time. He loves Italian food, Hot Cheetos, and anything that's high in sodium.