Corporal punishment is the deliberate infliction of pain and suffering intended to change a person’s behavior or to punish them. It is a common way of disciplining children; however its use has declined significantly since the 1950s. Corporal punishment is wrong because it causes physical harm to a child and produces a negative outcome. (“Is Corporal”)
When physical punishment is used, it causes harm and may cause retaliation and rebellion. Not only does it physically affect the child, it also has a major effect on their social well being. The more children are spanked, the more anger they develop as adults, the more likely they are to spank their own children, the more likely they are to approve hitting a spouse, and the more conflict they will experience as adults. Spanking has been associated with higher rates of physical aggression, more substance abuse, and increased risk of crime and violence when used with older children, mostly teenagers. In countries such as Africa, Asia, and South Korea, in their school systems, they discipline their students by using methods such as paddling. Studies show that more than fifty- fiver percent of the students who are paddled continue their unacceptable behavior after the punishment. It has also been stated that corporal punishment trains children to use hostile behaviors without wanting too or not even realizing that they are acting irrationally. (“Is Corporal”)
It is wrong to use corporal punishment on children. Usually when corporal punishment is enforced in a home, the punishments have to maintain their effectiveness. Thus, it has an addictive effect; the more one spanks, the more one feels a need to spank, possibly getting worse until the situation is out of control. In Canada, The Canadian Pediatrics Society policy on corporal punishment states “The Psychosocial Pediatrics Committee of the Canadian Pediatric Society has carefully reviewed the available research in the controversial area of disciplinary spanking (7-15)…The research that is available supports the position that spanking and other forms of physical punishment are associated with negative child outcomes. The Canadian Pediatric Society, therefore, recommends that physicians strongly discourage disciplinary spanking and all other forms of physical punishment.” It is believed that it is both impractical to seek acceptable forms of corporal punishment of children. Such actions are unjust. Hitting children is a lesson in bad behavior, and that is never appropriate to hit or beat a child. When disciplined through corporal punishment, it is a clear violation of the most important human right and goes against the moral beliefs of The United States Constitution. ("Is Corporal")
Many people argue that corporal punishment is a form of violence, and any form of violence is defined as abuse. There is a law in the United States against child abuse that keeps children out of harm in their home or any other place where they may reside. If physical punishment would be banned throughout the nation, it would reduce the violence and other criminal issues in the future.
Work Cited
“Is Corporal Punishment an Effective Means of Discipline?” Media Information. 22
June 2002. 6 April 2008http://www.apa.org/releases/spanking.html.
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Corporal Punishment: An On-Going Battle of Forensics [Unqualified Refutation]
According to Madison Kling, corporal punishment is “the deliberate infliction of pain and suffering intended to change a person’s behavior or to punish them.” Kling believes that any form of corporal punishment is wrong and unjust. However, there are others that disagree. Corporal punishment can have as much of a positive effect as a negative one. Therefore, when it is used as a valid form of discipline within reason, corporal punishment is effective and should be allowed.
Any form of discipline should be allowed as long as it is within reason. If a parent and child are in public or even in the privacy of their home and the child is acting inappropriately, the parent may pinch or lightly slap the child to get them to stop their appalling behavior. It is a method of discipline that has been used for centuries; it is considered corporal punishment. Kling states, “When physical punishment is used, it causes harm…” The point of the punishment is to cause pain so that the child will relate the pain to the behavior and stop the behavior. It is a form of reinforcement that chastising alone cannot accomplish. The writer also states, “The more children get spanked…the more likely they are to spank their own children.” This is because, more often than not, physical punishment is effective. The child responds to it and when that child grows up, it is likely that they will assume that since they responded to it then their child will too. Kling continues, “Corporal punishment is a form of violence, and any form of violence is defined as abuse.” Violence is not necessarily abuse. Violence can lead to abuse but it is not abuse itself. Corporal punishment is not abuse either. It is simply a way of disciplining.
Corporal punishment is effective and should be allowed. Kling states, “…the more one spanks, the more one feels a need to spank, possibly getting worse until the situation is out of control.” Physical punishment can have a positive or a negative effect. It is possible for abuse to be a negative effect of corporal punishment. However, most parents use spanking as a last resort. It probably hurts the parent more than it hurts the child, and the parent is not even the one getting physically harmed. Kling also states that hitting a child is “a lesson in bad behavior.” However, letting a child get away with wrongdoing is also a lesson in bad behavior. It teaches the child that when they do something wrong, the worse that will happen is that they will get a toy or dessert taken away. Once they get the toy back, they will not remember what they did wrong; they will not remember not to do it again. They will remember the sting of the belt or the hand or the way their knees hurt from kneeling on the hard kitchen floor though. Physical punishment sticks in a child’s brain; bribes, incentives, and the loss of possessions does not.
When used validly and reasonably, corporal punishment is an effective form of discipline. It does not necessarily lead to violence, which in turn does not necessarily lead to abuse. Physical punishment is simply a form of discipline that has been used for centuries. It was effective in the past, it is effective now, and it will be effective in the future.
According to Madison Kling’s perspectives on Corporal Punishment, there are negative thoughts about what it does to a child. A bad attitude, violence and rebellion are in her thoughts and those who are against corporal punishment of children. She believes that the more you spank, the more you feel the need to spank and this is where she is wrong. Spanking is not wrong when the children are in need of discipline for their wrong actions because most kids react positively to corporal punishment.
In the mind of Madison, corporal punishment should not be a form of discipline for children. She thinks that spanking causes “bad outcomes for the child’s future”. Kling believes that signs of rebellion, retaliation and anger are formed as adults, but not all cases end in this manner. Some forms of corporal punishment for your child, if used properly and not excessively, have a positive effect on the child’s behavior. Once a child is punished with a spanking for a wrong doing, they no longer want to do it again because of the pain that it caused them last time. Research shows that this is a common form of punishment used during child hood in all American homes. It is widely accepted inour economy and is one of the oldest forms of punishment because it works if used properly.
Some other worries of Kling with the use of Corporal Punishment is the abuse that may be associated with it. If taught properly by your family physician a child can be disciplined in a decent manner without the threat of abuse. With this lesson children can be punished for their actions and be taught a lesson about what is right and what is wrong. The love for your child has to teach them the difference between right and wrong. It has been proven that time out punishment usually has bad side effects because it is used improperly and the child takes advantage of it. Spanking will not always cause rebellion or retaliation in the child’s future. It is the parents’ duty to structure their kid’s life, and stray them away from doing wrong in the world when they mature.
A child’s future depends on the way they were raised as a child. If punishment is not used correctly or strictly in a home, that is what will cause rebellion and crime in our world. A parent only uses corporal punishment on their children because it works the first time around and causes the action not to occur again making corporal punishment a good part of our world.
Claudia Flores
Mr. Hughes
English III (A.P)
23 April 2008
A Parent's Wrath? (Unqualified Refutation)
It is difficult to understand what Madison Kling is trying to say. Throughout her argument she expresses her opinion on what she believes and the little bit of facts that favor her way. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but that does not necessarily mean all opinions are correct. She states that, “Corporal punishment is wrong because it causes physical harm to a child and produces a negative outcome.” The truth is, corporal punishment can not be wrong because corporal punishment, while it does cause physical harm, affects children in different ways
Since corporal punishment varies among children, its distribution should be up to the parents or a parental figure. A major factor in corporal punishment, maybe the biggest, is the parent/child relationship. It is only when a child does not understand why they are being physically hurt, that they retaliate. The parents raise the child from the time of birth and love him/her unconditionally. Sure there are those parents that take it to far and abuse their children but like Kling said, “There is a law in the United States against child abuse...” If a child is being abused then there are ways of knowing, and the law will handle that. Unless that is truly the situation, the separation of a child and parent should be the last resort. As stated before, the parent/child relationship is very important. The parents should be able to raise their children however they see ,reasonably, fit; they can not live the lives of their children. That is why if a child makes a mistake mom and dad should not and will not always be responsible.
Kling argues that corporal punishment is wrong because, “ it produces a negative outcome”, this is not a hundred percent true. Kling makes it sound like all the criminals of the world turned out that way as a result of corporal punishment. She states, “Spanking has been associated with higher rates of physical aggression, more substance abuse, and increased risk of crime and violence...” Just because somebody that was violent, abused substance, or engaged in crime and violence, was spanked, does not prove anything. Unless there is evidence showing that all good, law-abiding people were not spanked, the other evidence would not hold up. Another reason why Kling's argument is not valid is because there are other things in a persons life that lead them them into doing bad. There are other factors that influence children and young adults. Factors such as alcohol, divorce, school, etc. One thing like corporal punishment can not be blamed on the outcome of a bad person. Everything a child/young adult goes through in life affects their outcome, whether it be good or bad. Of course, there are some things that have a greater influence than others. People should take a closer look, and realize that, in most cases, corporal punishment would be a small factor of producing bad people.
When looked at with unbiased views and information, corporal punishment is not wrong. Even thought it causes physical harm to a child; that is the point. There is a vast difference that Kling either refused to acknowledge or got confused about. That is the difference between child abuse and corporal punishment. Child abuse is wrong. Corporal punishment on the other hand is not. It is not something that should be taken away nor forced upon parents. It is something that works for some and not for others. Corporal punishment can not be wrong for everyone, just because of a few bad parents.
Whip It Good
Who is to say what is in the best interest for one’s child? Should the government possess this power or should a parent be solely responsible for the actions inflicted upon one’s own child, epically in the case of disciplinary matters? Madison Kling believes that corporal punishment, or “the deliberate infliction of pain and suffering intended to change a person’s behavior or to punish them” (qtd. in Kling)is indeed wrong, thus should not be used in any case as “it causes physical harm to a child and produces a negative outcome(qtd. in Kling).” However, from much personal experience I believe that in moderation corporal punishment is not abuse and will actually prove to be beneficial.
Corporal punishment should be used, in moderation, because children are in dire need of discipline. To discipline is, by definition, to instruct a person or animal to follow a particular code of conduct, or to adhere to a certain “order” (Pickett). When one is at any stage be it during toddlerhood or adolescence in one’s life, there is always a need for discipline. The proper instruction can instill virtues, fear of punishment for acting out, work ethic, and even self-discipline (Pickett). Corporal punishment includes using spanking as a means of punishment. Spanking is indeed intended to hurt, but not to inflict wounds upon someone. The main purpose for the consequence is so the child or person being spanked will learn that the actions previously preformed were in some way, shape, or form offensive to the belief the child has been taught. Corporal punishment is used with the intention that the child or person being spanked will learn that the actions performed were wrong thus should not be done any longer. From my own experience, I can say I quickly learned spanking was the consequence for performing actions I deliberately knew were wrong. After about six spankings, the mere threat of getting a spanking was punishment enough.
Corporal punishment should be used for discipline because it can prove to have positive effects. Some may question how spanking could possibly be beneficial. Children who go without any disciplinary actions are more easily at risk to behave in unruly manners. Since the 1950’s the use of corporal punishment as discipline for children has declined significantly (qtd. in Kling).Since the 1950’s homicides increased from 4.6 percent per 100,000 people to 5.5 percent per 100,000 people in 2004(Homicide Rate). This is merely one example of how misguided youth suffer from a lack of disciplinary actions in society. When there are consequences for one’s actions, children as well as adults become more careful about their actions because they know they will face a punishment of sorts. Madison Kling believes that hitting children is a lesson in bad behavior, and that it is never appropriate to hit or beat a child. Spanking, not to be confused with beating, can be viewed as beneficial to young children because it teaches discipline. When children are well behaved and attentive, rather than running rampant and being disobedient, one can attribute these positive qualities to spanking being enforced as punishment for unruly actions.
Corporal punishment can cause fantastic changes in behavior and should be used in all instances as a means for discipline. The name Corporal punishment itself sounds very harsh when it is merely fancy jargon. The main intention of corporal punishment is to instill discipline in the youth. Parents and guardians who are pro-corporal punishment do not use spanking as abuse but as reinforcement of right and wrong, good and bad, because they care.
To Spank or Not To Spank: That is the Question? (Unqualified Refutation)
Corporal punishment, according to Madison Kling, is the deliberate infliction of pain and suffering intended to change a person’s behavior or to punish them. In her definition, the word s pain and suffering, of course, add to the subjective subject discussed. Kling fells that corporal punishment is wrong because it causes physical harm to a child and produces a negative outcome. Unfortunately, I disagree. Spanking should be an option of punishment in the home, because it teaches children a lesson about misbehaving and spanking is the way God advises us to discipline our children.
Many pediatricians and psychologists have come out strongly against corporal punishment in the home. According to Kling, for instance, the Psychosocial Pediatrics Committee of the Canadian Pediatric Society feels that “spanking and other forms of physical punishment are associated with negative outcomes,” and they recommend that physicians [strongly] discourage disciplinary spanking and all other forms of punishment.” The parents’ decision of spanking or not spanking their children should be their choice. The negative outcomes will probably only come from children who are not used to being spanked. However, I am not saying you should spank your children so they can be used to it or take spanking them to the extreme. Other methods of punishment, like “Time Out,” in my opinion, are just teasers for some children. It simply takes about 10 to 15 minutes out of their play time. Corporal punishment should be used because children will not want to misbehave knowing what awaits them if they do.
Kling claims that corporal punishment is against the moral beliefs of the United States Constitution. But are we forgetting the most important person? Did God not create the people who made the Constitution? The “don’t spank” advocates always ignore what their creator has to say on the matter, or they are ignorant of it. They even place psychiatrists and psychologists on a higher pedestal instead of obeying the advice of God who wants us to do things his way. God says that for willful disobedience, corporal punishment is appropriate. He also says that parents who refuse to ever use this form of discipline “hate” their children. He does not mean this literally, but he feels that if parents do not discipline the children they do not care about what type of person they should become. “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” (Proverbs 13:24)
Children do not understand the importance of getting spanked because they don’t know any better. Whether a parent decides to use physical punishment or not, is again, their choice. But we should always keep in mind the ways of our creator and to always discipline our children. This is one way to keep our next generation out of major turmoil.
Corporal punishment is used in many homes as a way to discipline children, but is it possible to define it as a form of abuse? Madison Kling believes that it is and that parents should not use it to punish their children. While abuse can be defined as inflicting physical harm upon another, spanking is not comparable to such an extreme. A slap to the leg or on the behind may not be compared to beating the child. Spanking is very safe when done correctly. Spanking a child is not mentally affective, therefore it may not negatively affect a child’s social well-being .
Kling was not specific about the age, but there does come a time when a child becomes too old for spanking. As a child becomes older and more mature, their social life becomes a main priority and spanking becomes a degrading and juvenile form of punishment. Spanking becomes more of an embarrassment than a punishment and only causes resentment in the child. At this time, corporal punishment evolves into something unnecessary and ineffective. Spanking will make one feel as though they are treated by their parents as a young child and is not taken seriously, something that older kids want very much from their parents. If they feel as though they are not treated their age, older kids most likely to become bitter towards their parents. This is when a behavioral problem can occur.
Yet when a child is young, simply punishing them is not a very effective way of discipline. A young child is too easily entertained with whatever is in their surroundings. Toys in their room can keep them preoccupied while waiting out a timeout in their room. Sitting in the corner can turn into playing action heroes with their fingers. Spanking, being a brief sting on their leg, provides an incentive for being good. If a child behaves, he will not be spanked. Spanking, in the eyes of a young child, is a far worse punishment than a lecture or time-out. Children tend to have a short attention span in their early years, and talking to them about why whatever they did was wrong will not stay with them for very long, but a spanking will.
With that being said, spanking is not a form of punishment that can affect a child’s “social well-being”, as Kling states in her essay. A child will not be disposed towards violence down the road because he or she was spanked when they were young. It is important, once again, to recognize the difference between spanking and beating. A child who is beaten when they are young will most likely be affected mentally and have warped morals as an adult. They could continue this pattern abuse with their spouses and their own children. Spanking, on the other hand, is not as severe or extreme as beating is. If done correctly, spanking will not mentally affect a child nor will it cause violent behavior in their later years.
If a child is spanked when they are young, it will not produce a negative outcome. Spanking can not become addictive, and it is not, as Kling puts it, “a lesson in bad behavior.” Going so far as to say that spanking “goes against the moral beliefs of The United States Constitution” is a little extreme. A parent has the right to discipline their children how they see fit as long as their methods are not abusive or degrading. Spanking has always been a harmless way of discouraging a child from bad behavior. That child will not hold a grudge against its parents for spanking him or her as a toddler. It is a way to keep the child in check until he or she is old enough to understand basic moral principles. They can not fully understand why something is wrong at such a young age, only that it is, and if they do something that is wrong they get spanked. That knowledge suffices until they become old enough to appreciate the morals and values their parents are trying to instill in them.
Kling is correct in a way because corporal punishment should not be used on the older age group of children. Still, it is not to be defined as child abuse. It is an effective way to discipline younger children given the fact that a connection is made between misbehavior and a spank. In no way, though, is it cruel and abusive. A child will not be scarred by spanking later in their life as they would from abuse.
Spank Away (qualified refutation)
Madison Kling claims that "corporal punishment is the deliberate infliction of pain and suffering intended to change a [child's] behavior or to punish them." While it is true that spanking a child does hurt them, it is not intended to make them suffer. Parents merely spank their children will remember the pain the next time they think about doing whatever it was they were spanked for.
Kling believes that "corporal punishment causes physical harm to a child and produces a negative outcome." In most cases, children will respond negatively to a spanking at the time by crying and/or throwing a fit, but later they will obey their parents with less of a struggle. This is because they fear yet another spanking. Overall, spanking has a positive effect on children because it teaches them to behave. Kling claims that "the more children are spanked... the more likely they are to spank their own children." This could very well be attributed to the fact that it worked on them. Therefore they believe it will work on their own children.
Kling states that it "is never okay to hit or beat a child." Beating a child is wrong because that is child abuse, but corporal punishment is not the same thing as child abuse. Spanking a child because they misbehaved is taking disciplinary action. This is similar to popping a dog on the nose during training. Child abuse is the severe beating of a child for no apparent reason. The two are quite different in that spanking leads to good behavior while child abuse can lead to trauma, hatred of the parent, and/or a violent future. Corporal punishment is an effective disciplinary tool as long as it does not rage out of control.
Any parent would agree that actively raising a child is not easy, and no two parents have exactly the same view on how to do it. While no parent wants to see their child in pain, sometimes it is necessary to spank the child to make them remember not to misbehave.
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