Should I spank my child?

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Should you do it or not? Should you do it again?

Sometimes, as a mother, you might think punishing your child by spanking them is the only way to discourage mischief and bring them to their senses.

A popular Arab saying claims that spanking is indeed the cure for mischief, it is one traditional disciplinary method still relied on since the times of our grandmothers.

But how true is this saying? And are there any other alternatives?

Spanking, or smacking any other body parts, is certainly not an effective way to restrain your child’s disorderly conduct or difficult tendencies, even if in a moment of anger, you might think any other method ineffective in accomplishing the task.

Education experts thus recommend taking a few deep breaths as an initial step to control your outburst, before reassessing the situation and taking the necessary actions.

Strictness does not necessarily mean resorting to physical punishment; it is rather achieved by raising your tone gradually to bring to your child’s attention that they have crossed some boundary.

You need to understand that your outburst of anger and screaming will not deter their immaturity and constant disobedience.

If things get serious, leave the room for a few minutes then come back to take the right step without losing your temper.

Finally, keep in mind that you should never shift from verbal to physical punishment, except in extreme cases when your child cannot be deterred otherwise.

If at some point you have to use physical punishment instead of verbal punishment, you can warn them with a light pat on their behind, to help them realize you’re asking for obedience and discipline strictly.

Explaining to your child your dissatisfaction with their behavior verbally can also help a lot, in addition to punishment that includes depravation of a favorite toy or hobby, or even time spent with you.

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