Spanking As A Way To Punish A Child

Introduction

Spanking is a corporal kind of punishment that is employed to discipline children who are disobedient or have erred in a way. Spanking is pain inflicting. Spanking is used as a correctional method to punish a child who has erred in a one way or the other. Spanking is done with the use of bare hands to strike the child’s buttocks. The pains from spanking are temporary though, but not necessary.

The Historical Background of Spanking

For many centuries, parents use this method of corporal punishment to discipline their children because they felt rightly entitled to it. But over the years, many countries have taken an antagonist stand against spanking which they regard as an abuse of the rights of the child. Many countries have outlawed the use of spanking to effect discipline but it's still allowed in some countries such as in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. In Hong Kong, spanking is not outlawed but it's frowned at or not encouraged.

Most parents consider spanking as an integral part of raising a child. Some parents argue that children who are not punished for their disrespect may become wayward and some may argue: ‘’didn’t the Bible say spare the rod and spoil the child?’’ In most western civilisations, including the United States and the United Kingdom, spanking has been outlawed both at home and in schools.

The Negative Effects of Spanking

Children imitate what they see, they copy what they see older people do. In a home where spanking is often used, and maliciously too, the older children in turn spank their younger ones. Children who grow up in such homes are mostly likely to end up being violent to their own offspring. Since they grew up in that kind of home they will feel it's right to hit other people and this could result to them be violent; both domestically and outside.

Children who feel loved will misunderstand why they are being spanked and this could lead to low self-esteem in the child. In some cases, a child might feel devalued or hated by his parents when he or she misconstrues the genuine intent in the spanking.

Spanking a child could lead to physical injuries and abuse. Even in the process of spanking a child, it can arouse excess anger in the child and the parent which may cause the parents to go overboard thereby causing severe pains and abuse to the child or the child in defiance may rebel against the parent. This form of spanking is counterproductive as it doesn't improve the behaviour of the child but rather worsen it. In homes where parents severely punish their children with spanking they never get the desired result as it rather creates anger, resentment and rebellion in the minds of the children making them defiant. Excessive spanking is just a training for the child who later grow thick skin against the pains accrued from spanking.