Dec 28, My husband believes in spanking as a form of discipline, while I think it is not necessary, because there are other ways to discipline kids. Which one of us is right? The purpose of discipline is to bring the children back on course whenever they leave the right path. A parent, therefore, needs to know where they are taking their children if they are to discipline right.
The intentional training by the parent is to help the children grow from dependence to becoming independent, responsible and mature adults. With that in mind, discipline, as an act of love, becomes part of the training that is essential in the upbringing of children. There are many methods of discipline one can use to achieve that goal. Each of us subconsciously picked up different methods of discipline from the families we were born into, which we use more frequently in discipline.
Some grow up with spanking or scaring children out of error. If you were never spanked, you may think it unnecessary. Either way, spanking is just one of the ways which we believe may be used against willful wrongdoing or disobedience.
As a principle, avoid disagreeing on the type or intensity of a punishment in front of the child. Consider all discipline as teachable moments. Before applying discipline, ensure the child understands the wrong he or she has done and determine if that particular disciplinary action will give the required life lesson to the desired goal. When using spanking as a disciplinary method, avoid using your hand but designate a wooden spoon, slipper, rod or stick that can be used to administer the punishment.
Bedroom or corner or ask them to sit on a chair for a certain length of time. Only a disciplined parent disciplines well, and thus models parenting for the child as well. Please note that children are also different one from another; some respond to a gentle rebuke easily while others may call for more firmness. So, it is not a question of who is right but knowing the goal, understanding your child well and applying an appropriate method of discipline.
