Spanking as an effective and acceptable discipline method

¶ … spanking is an approved method of discipline in the schoolroom. Spanking is a controversial form of punishment, and many people do not believe in spanking as a discipline measure. However, spanking does have a place in the discipline of a child if it is used correctly.

Spanking

Families have used spanking as a method of disciplining children for centuries, and it has been used in school systems as a punishment, as well. While a large segment of society seems to frown on spanking, a large number of parents say they use spanking as a tool in their family. A group of authors note, "In fact, in a national study, more than 90% of parents reported that they had used spanking as a way of disciplining their young children, and the vast majority of adults (approximately 80%) endorsed the use of spanking" (Hanson, Smith & Fricker-Elhai, 2004, p. 453). This is an approved method of discipline because most families have used spanking in the past, and most children do not enjoy being spanked, so they will learn from the spanking and stop the behavior that induced the spanking in the first place. In an interesting correlation, some family studies indicate that there is more approval for spanking in the black community, and that black children may actually "expect" this form of punishment as a form of "tough love." Two other authors note, "A further example of how difficult it can be to measure parenting relates to findings that spanking has less negative consequences for black than white children. Spanking may be more normative for the black children, and it may occur in the context of warm parenting -- that is, tough love" (Brooks-Gunn & Markman, 2005). Spanking is not of course connected to physical abuse, which is another issue entirely. The group of authors continues, "In general, physical abuse usually refers to actions that leave a mark or bruise on the child" (Hanson, Smith & Fricker-Elhai, 2004, p. 453). If a parent spanks a child that hard, it is child abuse, and this discussion assumes that spanking will be mild, more of a swat on the bottom than a major assault on the child.

The Rationale for Selecting Spanking

The rationale for selecting this topic is that it is quite controversial, but most parents admit they use spanking as a disciplines, sometimes even though they do not "believe" in spanking (Diller, 2008, p. 42). I also believe that mild spanking is an effective form of punishment, and that it is often misunderstood and misapplied. Many studies also show that spanking seems to help the child in many areas of achievement and behavior, as is discussed in more detail in my position on the topic.

How Position Affects Role as a Parent Educator

As a parent educator, spanking is certainly an important issue. If spanking is acceptable at home, then it should be acceptable at school, but many parents draw the line at someone else spanking their child. The characteristics of the child and the parenting techniques come into play here, in the social emotional process form of family systems theory. Another group of writers note, "The point here is that child characteristics can influence parenting. But the existence of differences among children themselves does not totally account for parenting effects on children" (Brooks-Gunn & Markman, 2005). In this theory, the family must be analyzed as a whole unit, who interacts with various systems in society, such as the school system, and the school system must assess whether spanking is viable in the classroom, or if it produces negative results. Each district must assess their situations differently, but personally, I would employ mild spanking in the classroom, as I feel it is an acceptable form of discipline is certain situations.

In conclusion, studies indicate that spanking, at least mild spanking, can have a positive impact on children in a variety of ways. Spanking is not cruel or "assault and battery" (Puka, 2005), as some people believe. Mild spanking is a good form of discipline, it has been shown to have positive effects on many young children's behavior both then and in later years, and it helps a parent teach responsibility for actions and reactions, leading to a healthier family life, too.