by Bobby Coles

Created on: June 22, 2009   Last Updated: May 08, 2012

The debate over spanking has been raging for years. Spanking teaches children that when you want someone to do something your way, it is alright to use force. Spanking carries with it many negative connotations, and should be avoided at all costs. There are better methods of teaching a child the difference between right and wrong that do not involve inflicting physical pain, which also brings emotional pain along for the ride.

There are far more reasons not to spank than there are to spank. A parent needs to assert authority, obviously, but to do so by inflicting pain and shame is not the way to go about achieving these needs. You should not spank for many reasons, mostly because it is damaging to the psyche of the child. The health and well-being of a child is of utmost importance, and their ability to understand things is fragile when they are young. Parents must constantly try and raise the self-esteem and confidence of a child, not do anything such as spanking that could jeopardize their healthy growth and development.

Children, up until a certain age, do not filter out indiscretions as easily as adults do, and therefore engage in disruptive behaviour more readily. The moral compass has not yet righted itself, and temptation still fuels them, along with curiosity. For the most part, children need to learn everything about their environment, and can only achieve such enlightenment through experimentation.

Reasons why you shouldn't spank include the law, morals, options, and fear. Spanking is a form of corporal punishment that used to be meted out centuries ago, and to very little avail. The simple fact is that children are going to do things wrong, and things that frustrate adults, but they do not do so in an attempt to frazzle adults, or to anger them to the point of violent hostility. Children push envelopes in order to judge their parameters.

Spanking is a temporary reaction to a persistent problem. You should not spank a child because the only lesson being learned will be fear. This is no way to raise a child. Spanking is a measure of control exercised by an adult, but it is typically done when the parent has lost control. This paradoxical practice should not be engaged in by anybody.

There are many reasons why you should not spank a child, but the biggest reason is due to the negative connotations associated with spanking. If your child has done something wrong, perhaps repeatedly, it is far more valuable to discuss the issue with them rather than resorting

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