The Importance of Spanking There are many children who have grown up hearing the words “If you don’t stop, I am going to give you something to cry about!” from their parents. Breanna Hayes says, “Of course it hurts, it’s a spanking. How else would it work?” Spanking, for this purpose, should not be confused with child abuse. Spanking can be defined as “a type of corporal punishment, which refers to striking a child with an open hand on the buttocks or extremities with the intention of modifying behavior without causing physical injury” (qtd. Saadeh 87). Although greatly debated on ethicality, spanking has been a form of discipline forever, it can be an efficient way to discipline a child and should not be considered abuse, because at times
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According to Saadeh, “between 70% and 90% of parents spank their children at least occasionally” (p. 87). Spanking by parents is a way to express their frustration with their children. Also, it has a rapid behavior correcting effect in a child. According to Benjet and Kazdin, it is a part of religiousness, cultural, and social beliefs (p. 198). Corporal punishment, specifically spanking, is legal in all of the United States according to government and law. Smith argues the pro spanking point “This position assumes that spanking is not only beneficial, but to refrain from spanking is detrimental” (qtd. Benjet and Kazdin, p. 202). According to Larzelere and Kuhn’s study “conditional spanking compared most favorably with alternative tactics when it was defined as a response to defiance in 3- and 4-year olds,…… or as back-up for time-outs in clinically oppositional 2-6-year-olds….”(p. 27). This proves that spanking is an effective way to alter a child’s defiant behavior and when a child is oppositional. Spanking a child when they are throwing a “temper tantrum” will probably only escalate the behavior. Using spanking to teach a lesson can work. Say a three or four year old tries to put their hand on a hot burner, a quick response by a parent to spank the child, can easily correct the dangerous behavior. Spanking when a child is about to do something
According to Saadeh, “between 70% and 90% of parents spank their children at least occasionally” (p. 87). Spanking by parents is a way to express their frustration with their children. Also, it has a rapid behavior correcting effect in a child. According to Benjet and Kazdin, it is a part of religiousness, cultural, and social beliefs (p. 198). Corporal punishment, specifically spanking, is legal in all of the United States according to government and law. Smith argues the pro spanking point “This position assumes that spanking is not only beneficial, but to refrain from spanking is detrimental” (qtd. Benjet and Kazdin, p. 202). According to Larzelere and Kuhn’s study “conditional spanking compared most favorably with alternative tactics when it was defined as a response to defiance in 3- and 4-year olds,…… or as back-up for time-outs in clinically oppositional 2-6-year-olds….”(p. 27). This proves that spanking is an effective way to alter a child’s defiant behavior and when a child is oppositional. Spanking a child when they are throwing a “temper tantrum” will probably only escalate the behavior. Using spanking to teach a lesson can work. Say a three or four year old tries to put their hand on a hot burner, a quick response by a parent to spank the child, can easily correct the dangerous behavior. Spanking when a child is about to do something