SPANKING LEADS TO RESPECTFUL TEENAGERS

Alison Madge5163351

Workshop in Essay WritingENG1100A

May 15, 2008

Spanking Leads to Respectful Teenagers

Youth today no longer respect those in authority. They talk back to their parents, they

don’t listen to their teachers and they are not afraid of the police. This lack of respect is directly

related to how they were parented as young children. Children who are not taught to respect

their parents when they are toddlers, cannot be expected to respect their parents as youth and

teenagers either. Spanking was one of the most common forms of punishment but has

gradually become so unacceptable in our society, that many believe it is unlawful. It is

understandable that parents today have a hard time teaching their children to respect them now

that there are so many rules and regulations guiding what is acceptable punishment and what

are not. Parents need to teach their children who is in charge, and spanking is one of the best

methods for doing so. Spanking, when used properly is an effective form of discipline that

teaches children to respect authority.

Spanking was an acceptable form of punishment for many decades. It successfully

taught children right from wrong. When a parent spanked a child after they misbehaved, it

taught the child not to repeat that behaviour. It also taught children that there are

consequences for breaking the rules that parents make. For example, a child that receives a

spanking after running into the street despite being told not to will learn that running into the

street has negative consequences.

Admittedly, spanking can become a form abuse if not used properly. There have been

situations where parents took a spanking beyond what is acceptable, by either spanking too

hard or too many times. This is what ultimately led to the abandonment of spanking in modern

society. Spanking is meant to be used as a teaching tool, not a form of cruel punishment to

inflict serious pain. A spanking should never be given when a parent is enraged as the parent

could accidentally cause more harm than intended. Also, the child may learn to fear the parent,

rather than the action for which they are being punished.

The goal of a spanking is to teach the child not to repeat the action for which the

spanking is being given. This is accomplished by giving the spanking immediately following the

undesirable behaviour. Using the example from above, if the parent waits to give the spanking

until after they have gone back into the house the child may be confused as to what exactly they

are being punished for. The child could have done any number of things, including jumping

over a rock or singing a song. When the spanking is delayed the child is not able to link the

punishment to the specific action of running into the street. Therefore, the child will likely run

into the street again, but may never again jump over a rock or sing that particular song.

Spanking not only teaches children to avoid certain actions, it also teaches them that

their parents are in charge. If spanking is used appropriately, children will learn that their

parents only have the best intentions for them. Parents must clearly define the roles in the

parent-child relationship. Children need boundaries and need to know that there are

consequences to their actions. Spanking is a good method for teaching children that it is the

parent who decides what is and is not acceptable behaviour. Children will respect their parents

for teaching them these lessons.

In early childhood, this respect is reflected in how the child responds to being told what

to do. When a child knows that there are consequences for talking back or making a scene in

the grocery store, they are less likely to do it. As children grow older, they respect their parents

in other ways. They understand that their parents are only concerned about them and that rules

and guidelines are in place to keep them safe. They are less likely to push the boundaries

because they know that there will be consequences if they do.

Granted, spanking is no longer an acceptable punishment for adolescents and

teenagers, they have already learned that there are negative consequences for breaking the

rules. Parents will have to get creative and come up with other forms of punishment. However,

the underlying lessons learned from spanking will carry through into these later years. Though

teenagers and adolescents who were spanked growing up are less likely to push the

boundaries, they still need to know that there are consequences for breaking the rules. They

may just break the rules less frequently.

Not only does spanking teach children to respect their parents, but it also teaches them

respect for authority in general. It is the parents who are teaching the lesson, so it is obvious

that the child will develop a profound respect for them. However, by spanking a child in direct

relation to an unfavourable behaviour, it teaches him to respect rules in general, whether they

are house rules, classroom rules or societal rules.