Children should trust their parents to be there for them, and to protect them from any form of harm. That is why physical punishment is not only inhumane, but it is child abuse.
I’m not saying there are not rare (and very rare I might add) occasions when a child could be tapped on the bum using only the bare hand so that they realize the gravity of the danger they have put themselves in. If they are crossing the street into oncoming traffic, or if they are reaching for the burning hot stove top, then I think that it is perfectly acceptable to swat their little bums, to frighten them not do the action again and possibly hurt themselves much more than a little tap would. A low price to pay for a child to learn their lesson and never try to cross the street unsupervised or touch a hot stove again. The little tap I speak of is meant to stun or surprise the child. Children who are loved and comforted should never be hit with the intention of hurting them.
Adults who were reared with the hitting method will claim: “I was slapped/hit/beat and I turned out fine.” Did you really turn out fine? They say: “I was hit so that I feared my parents and therefore respected them.” Do you know how bad that sounds? Your parents hit you…so that you respected them…sounds like abuse to me. Children who grow up with this method, sure, they don’t commit the “offense” anymore. But not because they understand why it was wrong. They behave because they are afraid their parents will hurt them.
What about the message it sends to the youngsters? They’re being taught that problems are solved by violence. That in order to get someone to do what you want them to, YOU SHOULD HIT THEM. And then they start school and are told that we solve problems with our words. Well how do they do that if they were never taught to use their words? No wonder the world is so violent. That’s the fault of the parents, not the kids.
A lot of the older generation say how the new generation have no respect for authority. Yes, we do. But why respect people who don’t teach us what respect is? Our generation learned to question authority a lot more, and not to follow blindly simply because we are told to. This may not be related to parenting per se, but kids have a right to know WHY. Why they shouldn’t do something, why things are the way they are, etc. “Because I said so” is not always an acceptable answer. The older generation were also the children who were taught that they should be seen and not heard. That’s horrible! Children have a right to speak out and say what they feel. And to not be hit every time they do.
Hurting an innocent child who looks up to you, and loves you unconditionally…that’s not love.
Note: This article is simply my opinion about the more violent parenting style. If you disagree with what I have said, please leave a comment below with your take on the subject.
Life Expressed 