Often times, you as a parent may have been tempted to spank your child. Perhaps your child was bullying another kid. Or may be her tantrums at the mall have become a regular thing. But as long as you resisted physically lashing out at your child, forgive yourself for having such a thought. The important thing to know is that whatever a parent’s definition of discipline is;, spanking a child mustn’t be a part of it. In his book Baby and Child Care, 1998 edition, American pediatrician Dr Benjamin Spock, wrote, "There are several reasons to avoid physical punishment. It teaches children that the larger, stronger person has the power to get his way, whether or not he is in the right."

Beating can cause irreversible psychological damage to your kid children, affecting their social and professional lives as adults. It can also forever ruin your relationship with your child. According to an article titled Discipline Without Spanking – It Is Not ‘Okay’ To Hit Your Child, published in beingtheparent.com, “Children who get spanked from their parents tend to have defiant and aggressive attitudes, coupled with temper tantrums and taking out their frustrations on other children by physically hitting them.”

The solution here is to keep a check on your anger. When you see your child’s out-of-control behaviour, take a deep breath and then deal with it in a constructive manner. You can inform your kids about consequences of their less-than-ideal behaviour and mean it.

It is wise to remember that smacking your child can lead to nothing good. For more on this subject, you can read through our ClipBook.