Where does a parent draw the line between child abuse and child discipline?
Some people think corporal punishment is always inappropriate. I think it can be appropriate if used sparingly and with caution. Here are some possible guidelines… What is the motivation for discipline? The primary motivation should be for the betterment of the child. Discipline is NOT be for the convenience of the parent. For example the parent shouldn’t spank the kid because he/she (parent) is too lazy to use a more appropriate punishment that takes more work to put into place. Never punish for an accident. Don’t spank the kid for spilling his milk when he didn’t mean to. Corporal punishment should never leave a bruise or mark. Corporal punishment should be rare. If the parent uses it all the time, or for trivial reasons, it loses its effectiveness. There is a certain age window when corporal punishment is most appropriate. Age 3 to 10 is a possible range. It doesn’t do any good to spank a baby, because he/she doesn’t understand what’s going on. And pre-teens are getting too old. T
