Many parents use spanking as a method of punishment when children have misbehaved and “nothing else seems to work”. However there is a significant difference between punishment and discipline. Punishment is defined as a “verb meaning to inflict a penalty on”. Discipline is a noun defined as “mental and moral training”. It is clear that there is a big difference between punishing and disciplining children. Punishment is not the most effective method of training children.

Webster’s defines “spanking” as: “to hit on the buttocks with a flat object or with the open hand as punishment”. To “hit” is defined

Irwin Hyman, author of The Case Against Spanking says: “I believe, and hope to convince you that there is absolutely never any reason to hit a child or adolescent.” He goes on to say, “And don’t tell me ‘all those kids need is a good swift kick in the behind’. How do you think most of them got to be so angry in the first place? By gentle, reasoned, loving and informed parenting and teaching?”

However, adults always tell children hitting is wrong, and they are punished for it. Yet these same parents use spanking as a method of punishment. This sends a mixed message to children. It says violence is an acceptable method to solve disputes or make some one do what we want if one is a child and the other is an adult. It also says bigger people can hurt little people and that, too is acceptable.

Finally, use positive consequences and strokes to work on your behalf. Catch your child doing something right and praise them for the appropriate behavior. They will be much more apt to attempt that positive behavior again when it is recognized and appreciated. A ‘thank you’ or ‘I appreciate that’ goes a long way toward reinforcing the positive behavior you would like to see repeated.

The primary lesson many children learn about being spanked is to try harder in the future not to get caught. Spanking may work as a quick, short-term consequence that doesn’t require much thinking on the part of the adult or the child, but does it stop the behavior in the long run? It certainly doesn’t teach acceptable behavior. What can also happen if the spanking doesn’t work immediately, the punisher must increase the frequency, duration, and intensity of the spankings until they do work. This is why spanking when ineffective can escalate into abuse.

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