Not an effective method of punishment. (How to Discipline Children)

Member Name: Tara

Product:	How to Discipline Children
Date:	18/12/00 (220 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A mild smack can teach children lessons.

Disadvantages: Not the best way to disicpline a child.

It is the parent’s decision as to whether or not to physically discipline their children. But I find it unacceptable that a teacher should smack a pupil in her care. Teachers are there to teach the children. It is not their responsibility to discipline them also.

When I was younger my Mother slapped me on occasions, but usually when she lost her temper only, and she always apologized afterwards. This didn’t happen very often, only when she got really angry with me. Often I deserved it. If a child called me a stupid fat cow, I can see why some parents would smack them. And it did teach me that you just can’t speak to people like that. But it certainly isn’t the most effective method of punishment.

The problem with disciplining your child in this way is that they are not taught that violence is wrong. After being slapped it made it impossible for my Mother to tell me off for fighting with my sister or slapping one of my friends at school because she had done it to me and unintentionally showed me that it was all right, when it isn’t. Teaching the difference between right and wrong is essential in bringing up a child.

While I believe that deliberately punishing a child in this way is wrong, because it is taking power over someone physically and mentally weaker and more importantly it can really upset them, I do not think that parents who give their children a mild smack on very rare occasions are bad Mothers and Fathers. Personally, I wouldn’t purposely smack or slap a child, but if they think it’s the best way of disciplining children, that’s their decision.

But I find that there are alternate and better ways to punish a child. Sending a child to their bedroom doesn’t always work these days. I know that with teenagers especially, many prefer to stay in their rooms and watch telly than stay downstairs with the rest of the family anyway. The best method, I think, is to stop them
doing something they love, like using the computer, a sport or hobby they do after school or at the weekend or pocket money. With younger children you could ban all sweets and treats for a week. Grounding them usually works too.

Summary: