"Spare the rod and spoil the child." Do you believe this statement? Hop aboard and tell us what you think.
Many parents believe they need to be firm with their children in order to discipline them, and this firmness often extends to raising a hand.
At times, spanking children is completely justified, feels Maya, mother of 7-year-old Rehan. "When I was around ten years old, I yelled out a bad word I had heard the older kids in my building say. My father was in the room, and he slapped me hard, warning me never to say the word again. I was stunned, as he rarely ever hit me. I understood the magnitude of my offence, and never repeated the word for a long time after that."
If you spank your child very rarely, then on the few occasions you do hit him, he is likely to realize he crossed the line. But if you spank him often, then another beating will not really affect him, and will hold the same weight as a good yelling, feel some people.
You should hit your child only for very serious offences, and not otherwise, feel some.
Others believe it is wrong to hit your child, period. No matter what he does, nothing is so bad that requires corporal punishment. Even if you spank your child very rarely, he is likely to remember at least some occasions the rest of his life.
Children that receive spankings on a regular basis could grow up to be more defiant, or such spankings may seriously hamper their self-esteem.
"Not true," says Roshni. "A spanking every now and again shows a child who's the boss, and children are likely to be more obedient and respectful to their parents if they are kept in line."
83-year-old Shanta feels that the present generation is too soft. A few generations ago parents thought nothing of hitting their children. Yes, they loved them, but also believed children need to be disciplined and molded, and hitting them is necessary. Yet children respected parents tremendously, and would gladly devote their lives serving them. The elderly weren't sent off to old age homes in droves as they are now.
Are these 'new fangled' parenting ideas all nonsense? For generations Indians have thrived on strong family ties, and our older generation must be doing something right. Hit your child if he disrespects you or if he does wrong, but also shower him with endless love. Always be there for your child and make all the sacrifices you can. In turn, your child will also be there for you.
But then again, perhaps old-fashioned ideals worked in older times. In today's competitive world where confidence and self-esteem determine success and when children are forced to undergo pressures our grandparents never faced, don't the rules of upbringing need evolving?
What do you think? Should you never, ever hit your child, hit him on occasion, or hit him on a regular basis to enforce discipline? Join the debate!
