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Spare The Rod

The document discusses different perspectives on the use of spanking as a form of child discipline. It provides biblical passages that support spanking. It notes that spanking is legal but can become illegal if it results in bruising or injury to a child. Research on the effects of spanking is mixed, with some studies indicating spanking may promote aggression while others have found mild spanking can be effective when combined with other discipline techniques like time outs. The document concludes that spanking should only be used selectively, as a last resort, and should never risk injuring the child or be administered in anger.

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Sumedha Goyal
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283 views2 pages

Spare The Rod

The document discusses different perspectives on the use of spanking as a form of child discipline. It provides biblical passages that support spanking. It notes that spanking is legal but can become illegal if it results in bruising or injury to a child. Research on the effects of spanking is mixed, with some studies indicating spanking may promote aggression while others have found mild spanking can be effective when combined with other discipline techniques like time outs. The document concludes that spanking should only be used selectively, as a last resort, and should never risk injuring the child or be administered in anger.

Uploaded by

Sumedha Goyal
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Spare the Rod, Spoil

the Child...
"I wish that all fathers of households
stand forth and practice their role.  They
will use the rod and not permit their
children to go astray.  Firmness is
needed in your world that is filled with
laxity, permissiveness, and degradation.
     "Your children have been misled by
many who shall answer to the Father.  As teachers they have failed in their
role.  Therefore, as parents you must succeed in yours." - St. Joseph, March 18,
1973

The Bible Says:


 "He who spareth the rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him correcteth him
betimes" (Proverbs 13:24) and "Withhold not correction from a child: for if thou strike
him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and deliver his soul
from hell." (Proverbs 23:13-14)

To Spank or Not to Spank? (Fact sheet from the Rocky Mountain


Family Council):

Is spanking an effective means of discipline for kids, or does it merely teach them
to be violent? Fewer topics have generated so much emotion as whether to spank
or not. First, what does the law say? Is it illegal to spank your kids? The answer is
no-but parents who spank must be very careful to avoid running afoul of the law.
Colorado law defines child abuse to include any case in which a child exhibits
evidence of skin bruising, bleeding, failure to thrive, burns, fractures, etc. and the
condition is not justifiably explained or the circumstances indicate that the
condition was not accidental. For purposes of the child abuse law, parental
discipline through spanking may not be justifiable if the child is bruised or
otherwise injured. Thus, spanking is not illegal, but injuring a child is.

Apart from the legalities, is spanking a good idea? Does it work? According to the
American Academy of Pediatrics, about 90 percent of U.S. parents spank, and
about 59 percent of pediatricians in a 1992 survey said they support the practice.
According to the academy, effective discipline has three key components: first, a
loving, supportive relationship between parent and child; second, use of positive
reinforcement when children behave well; and third, use of punishment when
children misbehave. Many parents these days are fearful of using spanking as
punishment, either because of the law or because they fear it teaches violence to
their kids.
Some professional organizations of physicians and psychologists have suggested
that spanking is detrimental and leads to family violence and child abuse. They
have suggested that spanking teaches physically aggressive behavior which the
child will imitate. But does the research support these assertions? According to the
National Institute for Healthcare Research, more than 80 percent of the
professional publications attacking spanking were reviews and commentaries,
rather than quantitative research. When analyzing the small portion of quantitative
studies that included spanking, more than 90 percent of these studies lumped
together mild forms of spanking with severe forms of physical abuse without
discussing why they did so. Thus, the professional organizations which advocated
outlawing spanking evidently made their decisions without the benefit of the facts.
Mild spanking and severe child abuse are not the same thing.

While spanking is not illegal, bruising or otherwise injuring a child is. But what
about mild spanking as a corrective measure? Is it a good idea? Spanking works
best when coupled with other disciplinary measures, such as "time out." Research
regarding behavior modification of children ages 2 to 6 found that spanking a child
two times on either the rear or thigh helped improve compliance with "time out"
for misbehavior. These children were more likely to remain in their room after
acting up if a potential spank followed if they left before the time was up.
Furthermore, pairing reasoning with a spanking in the toddler years delayed
misbehavior longer than did either reasoning or spanking alone. Reasoning linked
with a spank was also more effective compared with other discipline methods.
Talking with the child about what behavior is expected and why-with the potential
of a follow-up spank-worked best.

According to Physician magazine, spanking should be used selectively for clear,


deliberate misbehavior, especially a child's persistent defiance of a parent. It should
be used only when the child receives at least as much praise for good behavior as
correction for problem behavior. Verbal correction, time out and logical
consequences should be used initially, followed by spanking when noncompliance
persists. Only a parent should administer a spanking, not another person. Spanking
should never be administered on impulse or when a parent is out of control. Parents
sometimes need a time out too. Spanking is inappropriate before 15 months of age,
should be less necessary after 6 years, and rarely, if ever, used after 10 years of
age. Spanking should always be administered in private. Appropriate spanking
only leaves temporary redness of skin, and never bruises or injures. Spanking
works, but must be used thoughtfully and carefully in conjunction with other
disciplinary measures.

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