To Spank or Not to Spank?

Is spanking children still appropriate in 2024? 

I personally know many of these parents claim that this form of discipline has actually worked for them, even though statistics show that it is one of the most harmful forms of discipline of all. Corporal punishment is known to get short term results, but over time, children develop other behavioral problems such as increased aggression toward others and underdeveloped conflict resolution skills. It is possible, or even likely, that corporal punishment has worked in some cases, but there are other forms of discipline that could be even more effective, if only those options were explored more often.

Today’s parents must be willing to get educated on updated parenting and discipline methods. We all know the saying, “Children don’t come with a manual” but that’s not quite true anymore. There’s plenty of manuals, courses, and classes on parenting children. The problem is parents traditionally do not want to take any advice on this matter. Isn’t it strange that we are willing to learn how to do any new job or task we’ve never done before, but when it comes to something as serious as parenting, we want to wing it? There’s too much information available to do that. It’s time for parents to be in the know.

Children are getting modern day education and so should the parents. This doesn't mean that traditional or "old school" methods of parenting shouldn't be implemented, but parents should be willing to do their own research on corporal punishment and any other disciplinarian methods to see if it's appropriate for your child. Oftentimes a parent's style of discipline has lots to do with the level of intellect they perceive their child to have. Parents who view their children as exceptionally bright may feel less inclined to use hitting as a way to teach their children a lesson. They know their children are capable of understanding more than physical pain. But just as children understand pain, they also understand pleasure.

One way you can teach children acceptable behavioral patterns is not just to punish them for bad behavior, but to reward them for good behavior. It’s called positive reinforcement, and it’s pretty simple because we all love rewards and recognition for our efforts and good deeds. When your child is behaving the way you want them to, compliment them. Tell them how mature they are being. Let them know you appreciate their good behavior. Children will use this positive reinforcement as encouragement to do even more good things—and they will do it without you having to hit them. Now everyone’s happy.