Corporal Punishment Is Effective in Disciplining Children
ENG 122
Professor Heather Altfeld
December 18, 2008
Corporal Punishment Is Effective in Disciplining Children
There are differing views as to whether corporal punishment is effective in disciplining a child or whether it is child abuse. As a young child, my mother was constantly disciplining me. I am the oldest of eight and was always in trouble for something, even though I did no wrong. I suffered through many years of abuse, physically and mentally. The discipline I was receiving was not that of a mere spank but more like abuse. Corporal punishment debates have been going on for quite some time and people will continue to have differing views on it. Even though I had a rough childhood, I still believe in corporal punishment. Many see corporal punishment as child abuse, as long as no physical damage has been done, corporal punishment is still effective in disciplining our children today.
As a parent, I did not want to inflict any pain upon my children but I believe that if they do not get a “spanking” occasionally when they are misbehaving, they will try to get away with anything and everything. Granted that spanking too often will make the child accustomed to this and therefore is less effective. As the commentary by David G Roberts states, “An effective discipline system must contain three vital elements: (1) a learning environment characterized by positive, supportive parent-child relationships; (2) a strategy for systematic teaching and strengthening of desired behaviors (proactive); and (3) a strategy for decreasing or eliminating undesired or ineffective behaviors (reactive). Each of these elements must be functioning appropriately for the discipline strategy to modify a child's behavior.”
I feel strongly in regards to corporal punishment. I am doing everything I can from having to use it and trying new methods of disciplining but find that corporal...