Science Forums 2

[Boerseun]

Saw Rebiu's thread about "Children are devious" regarding parental habits, and didn't want to hijack it - so I've made a new one here regarding only one specific issue:

Corporal Punishment.

What's you take on it? In raising kids, and in general?

In my opinion, there are a few takes in rearing kids: One would be corporal punishment. Others include the pychological approach, where the whole story is explained to the kid why what he/she did was wrong, and exactly what the consequences are. Other approaches are when the kids are "bribed" into submission, when they might get rewards for their behaviour. This includes taking away TV priviledges, giving them sweets to stop causing havoc, etc.

In my personal opinion, the only form of authority you have over a kid is that you're physically bigger and stronger than the kid, and you can choke and throttle the kid any time you want. Even the youngest of kids know this. It's basic survival. Don't irritate the big guy - you might get killed.
A couple of years later, a slap on the bum or on the back of the hand isn't effective anymore, and then the "psychological" approach can be employed, simply because the kid's brain have developed to the extent where they can actually follow the argument. Then, in a mixed mode, the bribe can be employed as well.

My point is, there are people out there who blow a slap on the bum out the window as being "barbaric", etc., and that the "psychological" and the "bribe" methods should be exclusively employed. In my mind, this leads to spoilt little brats. I have been whacked on the ass when I was a kid, and didn't like it one bit. At the time. But I have never been a spoilt brat, I can tell you.

Beyond the age of ten or so, I believe there is no point in Corporal Punishment at all. But before that, you're essentially dealing with barbarians, and barbaric methods need to be employed.

Any thoughts?