Is spanking your children okay? By: Angela Woods & Katey White
Is spanking your children the right thing to do? This is a question that many American parents ask themselves every time their child misbehaves. In our opinion, spanking is the best form of discipline.
When children are learning the difference between right or wrong, they need a clear drawn line to follow. Toddlers don’t often have a wide variety of vocabulary. Instead of having a pro-longed discussion, a mild “pat” gets the point across. Many others also agree with spanking.
According
to Michael Meyerhoff,
“One of the things we discovered was that in two out of three families where children were developing into bright, happy, well-adjusted, responsible people, the kids were spanked from time to time -- especially in the period from about 18 months to three years of age. The spankings were not frequent, nor were they brutal, and they never involved paddles, switches, belts, or any other such equipment. However, a swat on the behind or a slap on the wrist was not an uncommon occurrence.”(Meyerhoff)
“What we learned is that discipline is a critically important part of promoting optimal development, and that effective discipline during this particular period is quite difficult. In order to teach a child to be personally safe and respectful of others, it is necessary to "speak" to the child in a "language" he truly understands.”(Meyerhoff) And even Meyerhoff agrees, “given the limited cognitive capacities of a toddler, a small spanking often results in a considerably better "education" than a prolonged discussion.”(Meyerhoff)
Some may think that if you “hit” a child, the child will “hit” also. Adults may also think that if a child is taught not to hit, and then you whip them, then that is teaching them wrong.
Spankings are not only for discipline, but also to protect your child from harm.
When a mother goes grocery shopping and has her mind in a million places, her child could be in danger. When she exits the store her two year old son takes off towards the moving traffic. Instead of just saying, “No Jason,” in a soft tone, she should spank the boy to teach him that he could get hurt and that will make a memorable impression.
Some parents that oppose spanking may think that startling your child instills in them that what they did was harmful, instead of brutally hitting them on the hand or bottom. Some people may say that just telling children that their actions were unsafe is a clear method of discipline to some parents or guardians.
Responsible parents know correct discipline. Some may think that others don’t know when to “stop”, but appropriate parents do. A 1999 study found that 94 percent of 3and 4-year-olds in the United States had been spanked at least once by a parent in the last year (Goode).
Michael Shannon, 47, of Clemmons, N.C., said he and his wife decided years ago to spank their three children, now 15, 20 and 22, because they found that timeouts did not always work when the children were small (Goode). "It seemed to get our child's attention a lot quicker," Mr. Shannon said (Goode).
A Concerned mother voiced her opinion on epinions.com, quoting Dr. Spock. Â Dr. Spock said, Physical punishment certainly plays a role in our acceptance of violence. If we are to turn a kindlier, society ad a safer world, a revulsion against the physical punishment of children would be a good place to start.(Goodmama)
"* 94% of 3- and 4-year-olds have been spanked at least once during the past year, according to one study(O’Callaghan). * 74% of mothers believe spanking is acceptable for kids ages 1 to 3, says another study(O’Callaghan).
When it comes to discipline everyone has their own opinions. Whether it be a soft hand/butt pat or a time-out in the corner, we each have our own ways to teach a lesson. In our day and society spanking is definitely okay in most of America's parents' minds.
Works Cited
Goode, Erica. “Findings Give Some Support to Advocates of Spanking." Main. 07 May 2009 http://www.nospank.net/nytimes2.htm.
Meyerhoff, Michael K. "A Different Slant On Spanking." 2001. Health Source Consumer Edition. < http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hxh&AN=5442138&site=ehost-liv >. O'Callaghan, Kitty. "Is it okay to spank?" Aug. 2006. Health Source - Consumer Edition. May 2009 <http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=hxh&AN=21737722&site=ehost-live>. "The statistics on spanking." 30 Aug. 2005. http://www.epinions.com/content_4499546244. "Where and When to Spank: A Comparison Between U.S. and Japanese College Students." May 2006. Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition. May 2009 <http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=hch&AN=22897187&site=ehost-live>.