By Patrick J. McGrath, OC, PhD, FRSC
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| Dr. Pat |
Some readers criticize me because I don't encourage spanking. I thought I should explain why I am not in favour of spanking.
There are several reasons:
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Spanking doesn't work in the long run. We want our children to be honest, caring, hardworking individuals. Spanking cannot
teach this.
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Frequent use of spanking is associated with long-term problems including
aggressive and antisocial behaviour and low self-esteem.
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Spanking works in the short run. A young child, say a 4-year-old, will often do what they are told if spanked. So, why shouldn't
parents spank? Because parents will be encouraged by this to use spanking more and more.
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Spanking teaches children that bigger, stronger people can impose their will on smaller, weaker people. This isn't what most
parents want to teach their children.
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Spanking encourages children to be sneaky to avoid the punishment. It doesn't encourage positive behaviour.
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Spanking can get out of control and become child abuse. If a child is frustrating, a parent may go too far and injure the
child.
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Frustration is usually the reason parents hit children. It is better to learn how to deal with frustration.
In Canada, Section 43 of the Criminal Code permits some use of physical punishment that would otherwise be an assault as a
"correction" to children.
A Supreme Court ruling in 2004 limited the use of Section 43. The court concluded that the following were not justified and
were illegal:
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Hitting children under 2 years is harmful and has no value because they are too young to learn from the spanking.
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Hitting teenagers is wrong because it can cause aggression or antisocial behaviour.
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Using objects such as rulers or belts to hit children is physically and emotionally harmful.
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Slaps or blows to the head are dangerous.
The Supreme Court also declared that any physical punishment must not be out of frustration or anger and must be to correct
the child and be "of a transitory and trifling nature."
The law allows parents to physically remove children from harm. It also allows parents to restrain children who are harming
others or themselves.
I did spank my own daughter once or twice when she was 4 or 5 years old. I gave her two or three slaps on her hand. I cannot
remember why I did it. Neither can she. But she does remember that I did hit her and still feels that it was unfair. She is
now 18 years old. She assures me that it did not have any lasting negative effects.
| Published | Reviewed by |
| August 24, 2009 |
Ross Hetherington, PhD, CPsych
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