How to Discipline a Child: Reasons Why Spanking Is Not Effective [According to Experts]

If you're wondering how to discipline a child, experts say that spanking a child should not be an option, as it can create more problems.

A lot of times, children tend to be too playful and hard to control. Parents seemed to be left with no choice but to use force and spank them out of desperation.

Here are 5 reasons why spanking a child is ineffective according to experts.

It doesn't teach appropriate behavior

A child who gets spanked because of fighting with their sibling won't learn how to get along better with others in the future. In learning how to discipline a child, parents must understand that an effective discipline must teach their child new skills, as well as it should teach them to build their competency and confidence. According to William Coleman, M.D. of the Center for Development and Learning at the University of North Carolina, spanking a child can hurt their self-esteem, and can cause physical harm.

It creates shame

If a child had been spanked, they may think that they had done something bad, causing them to struggle with self-esteem, trust, and mental health issues. Children who feel shame are not motivated to improve their behavior, and they may begin to feel that they cannot do better. In disiplining a child, you must know that using force and spanking them, should not always, or should not even be, a choice.

Increased risk of physical health problems

Health problems such as heart disease, cancer, and respiratory issues are just some of the risks of spanking a child. Also, spaking has now been linked to early death. According to Dr. Kadzkin, the reason behind this is stress and a breakdown in the immune system.

Poor parent-child relationships

Parents who are spanking a child are less likely to have a good quality relationship with their kids, according to Dr. Holden. Children may begin to fear their parents and/or guardians, and they will not open up in an effort to avoid being spanked again or to be physically punished again. In knowing how to discipline a child, parents must also know that taking force punishments will only cause their children harm, and will only have a negative effect on both of them.

It loses its effectiveness over time

There are times that kids will decide that misbehavior is "worth it". There may even come a time that they will get "used to" corporal punishment, which then loses the goal of being deterrent. A more effective discipline strategy, for example, is taking away their phone or a handheld game for a day. It could motivate children to behave.

Regarding how to discipline a child without spanking, there are many strategies more effective than using corporal punishment. You may want to remove their privileges like confiscating their toys and games, instead. You can also praise kids to encourage positive behavior from them. The more your child hears praises from you for doing the right things, the more that he or she will want to act properly.