Essay On Spanking Children

The act of spanking has been used for many years throughout the world for various reasons such as personal beliefs or religious beliefs. However, in today’s world, many parents are debating on whether or not spanking is a safe and effective form of discipline. Today, “64% of parents condone spanking as a “regular form of punishment” for young children” (O’Callaghan, 1). There are many positive aspects of spanking children as a way of discipline. “In Webster’s, “spank” means “to strike on the buttocks with an open hand” (O’Callaghan, 1). However, if you ask parents from all around the world, their definitions of spanking will vary. Some will say that spanking is a form of child abuse; while others will say that there is nothing abusive about spanking a child. “It is vital, however, that spanking be administered within proper guidelines” (Pingleton, 1). Spanking should never become child abuse, and should be used in a clear and consistent manner so that the child learns from the spanking. If used in the correct way, spanking is a very useful and effective form of disciplining children without them becoming afraid of their parents. Parents spank their children for many reasons. According to O’Callaghan, factors such as; geographic location, race, income, and religion are all increasing factors in the likelihood of using
“Properly understood and administered, spanking is most effective as a deterrent to undesirable behavior for younger preschoolers” (Pingleton, 1). Mother of two, Starr Odom, used spanking as a form of discipline with both of her sons as they were growing up, today she says “both of my boys are respectful young men and know right from wrong because I used spanking as a form of teaching them as children.” Many children that were raised with spanking as their form of punishment are now respectful, well-mannered adults that serve major roles in today’s