The Case Against Spanking

"The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) (as well as many, many child development experts) strongly opposes ever striking a child."

Whether or not parents believe in spanking their kids is based on their culture, location and generation. Statistically, whether or not parents spank is also based on their education level (the more schooling they've had, the less likely they are to spank). Many parents might believe that they would never hit their child under any circumstances; however, according to AAP,"in a 1996 survey, 44 percent of surveyed parents said they had used corporal punishment, but half of those said they were angry when they punished their children." Many parents say they only hit their kids from sheer stress, when frightened (the child has done something dangerous), out of frustration, or fear of having no other options.

Look, spanking is never an option. If, however, you lose your temper, take a moment to calm down before you do something that could damage your child or your relationship forever. Spanking is not an effective or positive approach to discipline, though it's a more serious problem if you commonly spank your child, or if it's one of your dominant disciplinary methods.

I find it hard to justify spanking at any time. Here's why:

• It is painful. Deliberately instilling pain on your child is cruel (even if you believe it's "for their own good.") The slogan "No pain, no gain" does not apply to childrearing.
  
  
• It teaches your child that violence is an acceptable way to express anger and deal with conflict. This contradicts how you are trying to raise your child.