Child discipline
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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.
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[edit] Authoritarian perspectives
In western society, there has been much debate in recent years over spanking or use of a belt 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". (See further discussion below.)
While no consensus exits, the appropriateness and proper application of Machiavelli's ideas on the gaining of power to parenting have been questioned in recent decades. United Nations human rights standards prohibit all corporal punishment. However, corporal punishment of 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.
[edit] Religious perspectives
Earlier in history, Solomon advised:
"Discipline your children and they will give you rest" (Book of Proverbs 29:17)
and more directly:
"He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him." (Book of Proverbs 13:24)
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.
For Christians, any use of the above references must take into account the instruction of Paul in the New Testament:
"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4)
[edit] Sources
Brazelton, T. B. (1992). Touchpoints. Addison-Wesley.
Hart, Stuart N. et al. (2005). Eliminating Corporal Punishment. UNESCO Publishing.
Maccoby, E. E., & Martin, J. A. (1983). Socialization in the context of the family: Parent-child interaction. In Handbook of Child Psychology (4th ed.), edited by P. H. Mussen, vol. 4: Socialization, personality, and social development, edited by E. M. Heatherington, 1-101. New York: Wiley.
Spock, B., & Rothenberg, M. B. (1992). Dr. Spock's baby and child care. New York: Simon and Schuster.
