Can i spank my child

Attitudes Towards Spanking. American Academy of Pediatrics. AAP survey on corporal punishment reveals divergent views. March University of Michigan Health System. Spanking out, talking in: Most parents opt to talk with misbehaving kids.

Acquire the license to the best health content in the world. September 5, Spanking, Ages 3 to 6. Should I spank my child? Spanking may seem like a direct and effective way to do that, but it also delivers other messages you don't want to be sent: Fear. Spanking teaches your child to fear you -- not to listen to you or respect you.

Instead, he may feel hurt and resentful, and retaliate by being uncooperative. If you refrain from spanking, you'll be better able to reason with your children and set limits for them. Spanking teaches your child that violence is an acceptable way to solve problems and change behavior, especially if someone is smaller and weaker than you. Studies show that kids who are spanked are more likely to hit and fight with other children. Spanking teaches your child that when he makes mistakes, you'll punish him rather than give sympathetic guidance.

It undermines trust and damages the bond between you and your child that should allow him to be confident and flourish. Poor self-esteem. Many studies have shown that hitting your child can hurt more than his body: It can injure his sense of who he is. He may reason that if he weren't such a bad child, he wouldn't get hit. Soon, being "bad" becomes part of his identity. Studies by the late psychologist Irwin Hyman and colleagues at Temple University have shown that regardless of how nurturing a family is, spanking always lowers self-esteem.

Spanking can be physically dangerous if you get carried away and hit your child much harder than you intended to. Sometimes spanking can bruise a child, leave hematomas blood blisters , or injure soft tissue; some kids have even been hospitalized because of it. But if I was spanked and I'm okay, what's wrong with it? What's the harm in a little smack? But isn't spanking effective?

Do many parents still spank? How can I avoid spanking my child? What's a better way to discipline? Here are a few ways to discipline without spanking: Use "do" instead of "don't. Child development expert and author Penelope Leach points out that telling your child "'You can't leave your tricycle there' is a challenge.

It makes him think 'I can too. Just watch me. Reserve "don't" for truly important rules, then make sure you stick to those limits. For instance, "Don't ever go in the street without a grownup" is a rule that you can never allow to be broken, even when you want your kid to go deliver a message to a neighbor.

Teach morality. From the earliest time that a child can begin to understand, it's important to teach empathy and morality. That is, the child should learn to do the right thing because it's right, not because he'll be punished if he doesn't do it. This can be done by explaining to the child why it's wrong to do something that may be hurtful to others. For instance, rather than saying, "If you hit me, I'll hit you back," try saying, "You shouldn't hit me because it hurts, and you know how it feels to be hurt.

Create positive incentives. Make cleaning up into a game, bring a toy boat for a sailing trip in the bathtub, or take an umbrella into the shower for the rainstorm. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products.

List of Partners vendors. Spanking is a widely debated topic. Most experts advise against using corporal punishment, but some parents believe that spanking is an effective discipline strategy. Other parents admit they have occasionally spanked their child—especially when they were feeling overly stressed.

Whichever camp they belong to, all parents need to know and closely consider the potential consequences of physical punishment, including spanking. Sometimes, parents spank their children out of desperation. Without a consistent discipline strategy, it might feel like spanking is the best option.

While spanking may alter behavior in the short-term, it rarely has a positive effect in the long term. Studies have shown that spanking is ineffective and has detrimental consequences on child development. Parents may rely on spanking to "fix" behavior problems without trying alternative discipline strategies—or giving those options enough time to work.

Another common reason parents spank is out of exasperation, impulse, or anger. A parent who reacts out of frustration "I can't believe you just did that!

If you don't know how else to discipline your child, spanking might become the first line of defense. While it might feel like a solution at the moment, spanking won't solve the problem or teach your child better behavior. Many parents later regret striking their children.

Spanking can also cause lasting damage to the parent-child relationship. Various cultural groups have historically held the belief that spanking is part of their upbringing and cultural background. However, the negative impact remains the same. Also, corporal punishment habits are the residual impact of colonialism that has been adopted by many cultural groups. There is some historical evidence of Black and Brown families being engaged with corporal punishment.

Causing injury to your child can also result in dependency proceedings, where the state petitions the court to limit or terminate your parental rights. Many people who work with children, such as teachers and doctors, are required to report any suspected child abuse.

CPS then launches an investigation to determine if the child has been abused or is in danger. If so, the state may file a petition to have the child declared a dependent of the court and provide continued monitoring and services to the family, or in very serious cases, remove the child from the home. If you suspect that a child is being abused, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at While parents have a limited right to use force against their own children for discipline, a person who is not a child's parent or caregiver does not necessarily have any right to use force against a child.

What could be considered lawful spanking if done to your own child might be considered battery if done to your child's playmate or a neighbor child. Pro- and anti-spanking advocates disagree about whether spanking is harmful or desirable, and whether it is an effective means of disciplining children. Much scholarship has found that, for some children, corporal punishment has lasting negative effects including:. A conviction for assault, battery, or child abuse can have serious consequences.

Depending on the circumstances, a conviction can result in time in prison or jail, a fine, probation, and counseling. If you are charged with a crime as a result of spanking your child, you should talk to a local criminal defense attorney. An attorney can tell you what to expect in court, based on the charges, the law in your state, and the local judge and prosecutor.

An attorney can help you understand your options and present the strongest defense in your case so that you can achieve the best possible outcome. The information provided on this site is not legal advice, does not constitute a lawyer referral service, and no attorney-client or confidential relationship is or will be formed by use of the site.

The attorney listings on this site are paid attorney advertising. In some states, the information on this website may be considered a lawyer referral service. Please reference the Terms of Use and the Supplemental Terms for specific information related to your state. Market Your Law Firm.