Physical Punishment Should Not be an Option Anymore

“That Monday, Natalie was playing with her mother's jewels. When her mother found her playing with her rings and necklaces, she gave Natalie a beating that sent her to the hospital.. doctors diagnosed a brain hemorrhage and internal injuries caused by the beating.” Often, media shows children who have been hurt by adults in an attempt to keep discipline. A big amount of children are physically punished by their parents or caretakers. Because of that kind of punishment, each day more children are admitted to hospitals. Although sometimes physical punishment is effective in order to maintain discipline, parents should avoid this practice because instead of educating their sons and daughters, they are causing them great damage, not only physical but also emotional.

One argument that many parents give to justify corporal punishment is that they were taught to discipline through beats and violence. Many adults were beaten when they were little so they argue that physical punishment is the best way to control children when they do something in an unappropriated way. Most of the time, because this way of thinking, parents believe that alternatives, like deprive them of activities they enjoy such as watching television, are not effective. The problem is that physical punishment affects children in negative ways.

First, studies show that the more a child is hit, the more he or she will hit his or her children, spouse or friends in the future. One child that is constantly hit by his/her parents.Second, corporal punishment is degrading and contributes to feelings of helplessness and humiliation. For instance, if a child is consistently beaten because of his/her behavior, he or she will fell distress, anger and fear, among other negative feelings that will affect his or her life. Finally, physical punishment could get to major problems as poor school performance and isolation. Negative feelings do not allow the child to focus on their daily activities such as school activities. Furthermore , since children who suffer from physical punishment can develop aggressive behaviors, they will have bad relationships with others. A child that does not get along with other people will inevitably become an isolated person.

In conclusion, physical punishment is not a good option. If the child does not repeat a bad behavior it is because he or she is afraid of being beaten again, not because he or she understood that what he or she did was unappropriated. Parents should avoid physical punishment because instead of educating their children, they are causing them great damage.

Juliana Madrigal