10 Types of Punishments that Hamper Child's Development

Some punishments can severely affect the growth and development of children. Therefore, it is essential to avoid such ways to punish kids. Here are 10 types of punishments which you should avoid exercising so that you do not hamper your child’s development.While most parents have to refer to some or the other kind of punitive method to discipline their children there are some serious issues associated with some methods of punishment. These punitive methods have been found to cause emotional and psychological trauma to the child and hence should be avoided. In this article Hitting ScreamingUsing Expletives IgnoringLocking UpSarcasmPublic HumiliationInappropriate Use of Time OutsCoercion Emotional Neglect1. HittingHitting kids is now banned by the law as it is now classified as child abuse. Using physical violence on children has long reaching negative psychological effects along with physical pain. Usually the child who suffers such treatment bears the scars of corporal punishment all throughout his or her life.2. ScreamingScreaming at kids has the same kind of negative effects as hitting. Using an elevated tone of voice to communicate displeasure only pushes the child to withdraw from fear and tension. Children may also pick up the habit of screaming back at parents.3. Using ExpletivesUsing bad language to punish children is an extremely negative way of showing displeasure. Abusive words and sentences eat up the self confidence of children and make them cultivate a low opinion about themselves as well as their parents. Also kids tend to pick up the same expletives and use them in their speech pretty soon.4. IgnoringIgnoring kids as a form of punishment is a bad way of expressing displeasure or inculcating discipline. Ignoring children will only make them feel insecure and low and they will start doubting the love and affection of their parents. In time this will drive away children from the family unit.5. Locking UpLocking up children as a form of punishment induces severe fear psychosis and can even cause the child to get a fit if he or she has breathing trouble or asthmatic tendencies. This method of punishment also induces the fear of abandonment in children.6. SarcasmSarcasm is something that directly hits the delicate self esteem of children and makes them feel low and worthless. Children should never be spoken to sarcastically as their confidence gets damaged and they start developing a low opinion of themselves. Such kids face self image issues in adulthood.7. Public HumiliationPublic Humiliation, scolding or hitting the child in front of third parties irrevocably damage the self esteem and feeling of self worth of the child. Children are usually very image conscious and the public loss of their image may cause them to inch towards depression and self harm. Punishment of any form should be avoided in public spaces.8. Inappropriate Use of Time OutsWhile time outs can work if they are rarely and intelligently administered, their frequent use creates a lot of negative repercussions for the child. The child who is subjected to too many time outs slowly starts feeling resentful and angry and likens the spells of time outs to spells of imprisonment. In time the child starts cultivating negative feelings towards the parent.9. CoercionCoercion or the use of threats in order to make the child do something usually produces a lot of negative effects. Firstly this teaches the kid that using threats is an appropriate way to get things done. Secondly the child may give in due to fear a couple of times but soon starts cultivating a negative attitude towards the parent and engaging in rebellious acts.10. Emotional NeglectEmotional neglect induces a strong feeling of fear of abandonment and rejection in the mind of the child and is extremely damaging to his or her delicate psyche. It is very important for the parent not to use withdrawal of affection, love and care as a method of punishment as this cause the emotional distance between parent and child to widen.This guide will help you avoid the common negative ways of punishment that can adversely affect your children.Is it necessary to punish kids? Which type of punishments can hamper child’s development? Which are the liberal yet effective ways to punish kids? Discuss here.

1. Hitting

Hitting kids is now banned by the law as it is now classified as child abuse. Using physical violence on children has long reaching negative psychological effects along with physical pain. Usually the child who suffers such treatment bears the scars of corporal punishment all throughout his or her life.

2. Screaming

Screaming at kids has the same kind of negative effects as hitting. Using an elevated tone of voice to communicate displeasure only pushes the child to withdraw from fear and tension. Children may also pick up the habit of screaming back at parents.

3. Using Expletives

Using bad language to punish children is an extremely negative way of showing displeasure. Abusive words and sentences eat up the self confidence of children and make them cultivate a low opinion about themselves as well as their parents. Also kids tend to pick up the same expletives and use them in their speech pretty soon.

4. Ignoring

Ignoring kids as a form of punishment is a bad way of expressing displeasure or inculcating discipline. Ignoring children will only make them feel insecure and low and they will start doubting the love and affection of their parents. In time this will drive away children from the family unit.

5. Locking Up

Locking up children as a form of punishment induces severe fear psychosis and can even cause the child to get a fit if he or she has breathing trouble or asthmatic tendencies. This method of punishment also induces the fear of abandonment in children.

6. Sarcasm

Sarcasm is something that directly hits the delicate self esteem of children and makes them feel low and worthless. Children should never be spoken to sarcastically as their confidence gets damaged and they start developing a low opinion of themselves. Such kids face self image issues in adulthood.

7. Public Humiliation

Public Humiliation, scolding or hitting the child in front of third parties irrevocably damage the self esteem and feeling of self worth of the child. Children are usually very image conscious and the public loss of their image may cause them to inch towards depression and self harm. Punishment of any form should be avoided in public spaces.

8. Inappropriate Use of Time Outs

While time outs can work if they are rarely and intelligently administered, their frequent use creates a lot of negative repercussions for the child. The child who is subjected to too many time outs slowly starts feeling resentful and angry and likens the spells of time outs to spells of imprisonment. In time the child starts cultivating negative feelings towards the parent.

9. Coercion

Coercion or the use of threats in order to make the child do something usually produces a lot of negative effects. Firstly this teaches the kid that using threats is an appropriate way to get things done. Secondly the child may give in due to fear a couple of times but soon starts cultivating a negative attitude towards the parent and engaging in rebellious acts.

10. Emotional Neglect

Emotional neglect induces a strong feeling of fear of abandonment and rejection in the mind of the child and is extremely damaging to his or her delicate psyche. It is very important for the parent not to use withdrawal of affection, love and care as a method of punishment as this cause the emotional distance between parent and child to widen.

This guide will help you avoid the common negative ways of punishment that can adversely affect your children.

Is it necessary to punish kids? Which type of punishments can hamper child’s development? Which are the liberal yet effective ways to punish kids? Discuss here.