Argumentative Essay: The Traditional Way Of Discipline

Tradition presents a much different way of enforcing discipline than more modern philosophies of today. Many people today see the traditional way of discipline as borderline abuse, in that spanking was more readily accepted in the past. Those in the older generation may see today’s modern tactics as useless and unbeneficial. The modern disciplinary techniques are more about the reward for doing good, than punishment for doing bad. Like any other controversy, there are those who reside in the middle, who see the positives from both points. It is not to say that one is wrong or right, but that discipline, no matter the form, should instill a beneficial change in a child’s behavior. The point of discipline is not to scare a child but to show …show more content…
Technology serves as a babysitter, used to keep the child occupied so as not to make a fuss. Instead of teaching the child how to problem-solve and learn from experience, this lack of discipline strips children of lessons that could be learned. It is not to say that technology comes without the benefits of problem-solving, but that it should not be a substitute for real life experience at the direction of parents. In Hanna Rosins article she states that “adults have come to the mistaken view “that children must somehow be sheltered from all risks of injury. In the real world, life is filled with risks – financial, physical, emotional, social – and reasonable risks are essential for children’s healthy development” (7). Traditional parents and their discipline directly correlates with the older playgrounds and their learning opportunities. Whereas, the modern style of parenting is akin to the pre-fab playgrounds. Sheltering the child, the aversion to pain or danger does not allow them to learn from their experiences. They use technology as a more controlled sheltering alternative to physical play and learning. This in itself is not any less effective in instilling values in the child, but unless the parent involves themselves in the learning it is less beneficial to the child. Parents have become reliant on the technology to raise their children, whether they know it or not. Naomi Klein states in the “Branding of Learning” …show more content…
Modern parenting styles keep the child too dependent. When parents use rewarding tactics the child grows into the idea that their parent is at their bidding. Figuring out how to manipulate situations into rewards becomes second nature, and the parent becomes a slave to the child. The child feels entitled and becomes selfish. Rewarding for good is not a bad thing, but it is completely different when a reward is given for not being bad. One should not seek to do good just because the reward. Modern discipline has become so dependent on rewarding that the children have become very shallow and have no deep understanding of morality and values. In traditional discipline a child grows up to become self-disciplined and grounded in a foundation of absolutes. The leniency that is most often found in modern parenting styles may create an adult with more self-entitlement than self-discipline. They may expect everything to be at their leisure and may be forced to reevaluate the difference between the two when away from their parents’ coddling. In Margaret Talbot’s article “Brain Gain” she quotes Barbra Sahakian, “’we are a society that so wants a quick fix that many people are happy to take the drugs.’” (268). “The drugs” – cognitive enhancers – have become a work-ethic replacement. Many of the students who take the drugs without prescription use them so they don’t have to miss out on fun because of studying. It