If parents are forced to give up using corporal punishment, won’t children end up spoilt and undisciplined, with no respect for anyone or anything?
No! Discipline is not the same as punishment. Real discipline is not based on force. It grows from understanding, mutual respect and tolerance. Babies start off completely dependent, and as they grow, they rely on adults especially their parents to guide and support them towards self-disciplined maturity. Corporal punishment tells children nothing about how they should behave. On the contrary, hitting children is a lesson in bad behaviour. It teaches children that their parents find it acceptable to use violence to sort out problems or conflicts.
