Child discipline

Child discipline is a topic that draws from a wide range of interested fields, such as Developmental Psychology, Social Work, and various religious perspectives.

Methods of child discipline vary widely between cultures and have in recent times changed considerably in many of them.

Authoritarian perspectives
In western society, there has been much debate in recent years over spanking in particular and corporal punishment for children in general. But many parents and teachers still agree with Machiavelli`s maxim: "It is better to be feared than loved."

The appropriateness of Machiavelli`s ideas on the gaining of power to parenting have been questioned. United Nations human rights standards prohibit all corporal punishment. However, beating children is legal in schools in at least 60 nations. Corporal punishment in schools is legal in 23 states of the United States, except where prohibited by local school boards.

Psychological perspectives
Non-violent child discipline has grown in popularity, but continues to be controversial. It is generally time-intensive, and thus best-suited to parents of small families. Results will vary dramatically according to the child's personality, depending greatly upon the child's desire to please and upon the child's stubbornness. T. Berry Brazelton (1992) and Benjamin Spock (1992) are among the well-known pediatrician/authors who have written books on childrearing that suggest non-violent means of discipline.

Researchers have linked authoritarian childrearing with children who withdraw, lack spontaneity, and have lesser evidence of conscience (Maccoby & Martin, 1983). Hart et al. (2005) state:

''Corporal punishment has been found to be consistently related to poor mental health; including depression, unhappiness, anxiety, and feelings of hopelessness in children and youth. Corporal punishment is a risk factor for relationship problems, including impairment of parent-child relationships, increased levels of aggression and anti-social behaviour in children, raised thresholds for defining an act as violent, and perpetration of violence as an adult, including abuse of one's family members.''

The Taking Children Seriously approach eschews all child discipline as unethical.

Religious perspectives
Earlier in history, Solomon advised:

"Discipline your children and they will give you rest" (Book of Proverbs 29:17)

and similarly warned:

"..A mother is disgraced by a neglected child." (verse 15b).

These parts of the Bible continue to influence conservative Christians and Jews today, notably James Dobson. However in the New Testament Paul wrote:

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4)