New Evidence For The Benefits Of Never Spanking - Book Report/Review Example

New Evidence for the Benefits of Never Spanking Murray A. Straus illustrates that “spanking” and “corporeal punishment” mars the personality of children. Followed by the introduction and brief summary of the research, Straus presents an account of the “Five New Landmark Studies” which overcame the defects in previous 45 years of research based on long-term effects of corporal punishment; suggesting spanking as a tool not to be used by parents for disciplining their children. Furthermore he provides a discourse on “Three Paradoxes About Corporal Punishment” suggesting self-denial of spanking parents, silent appraisal by the experts and finally parents’ inability to teach leaving in spanking as the only solution.

He explains that in olden times spanking was a very normal act when he says, “In 1968, those who favored corporal punishment did not need to speak out to defend their view because, as just indicated, almost everyone believed it was necessary.” (Straus 1) He concludes by demoralizing the habit of spanking among parents and claims that studies have upheld the negative effects of spanking. Through this research the author’s apparent purpose seems to discourage “corporeal punishment” in each age group in order to enforce a vibrant, health and rich environment for the children to grow in as stronger and confident individuals of the society.

For this reason Straus, establishing a direct link with his audiences has portrayed incidents and experiments to which they can relate to. Moreover his approach to this issue and his concern is universal because he has intended a good cause for the children of the whole world (Straus 1).Straus has made a discourse on the most practiced custom of the society which needs to be discouraged but it is not taken into account. This habit of spanking children or incorporating “corporeal punishment” into the lives by considering it the most beneficial of disciplinary tools is generally a wrong idea which is breeding successfully among the parents.

I agree with Straus in maintaining the stance that “spanking” is not a solution to the problems of the parents as this act is an affliction on the self-esteem, self-reliance and confidence of the children which ceases them to live in the world with confidence. I believe that he is correct when he claims that spanking does not present with any benefits for the child but it rather mars the personality of the child. In his research, the projected statistics of parents who continually spank their children over varied age groups is very high.

Toddlers or children belonging to any age group are not to be spanked by the parents in the first place because the difference of intellectual capabilities is to be taken into consideration. Secondly, parents dealing with teenagers do not have to induce “corporeal punishment” as children of this age group are wise enough to understand what ever is being said to them. The disconcerted behavior of children does not necessarily mean that the children are at fault. In this respect communication gap and parent’s attitude needs to be evaluated.

Moreover, it is impossible for the children to take up each command dictated to them. Being free individuals they have the freedom of will and expression as their foremost right. This act is what makes them distinct as an individual. Furthermore, misbehavior can be talked out but spanking induces a deep impact on the child. It can be understood with more spanking, the negative impact on the child increases. As Strauss has explained, “The children of mothers who used corporal punishment attacked other children twice as often as the children whose mothers did not.

The children of mothers who went beyond ordinary corporal punishment had four times the rate of attacking other children.”(Straus 1). In this respect the success of “Swedish experience” of taming the little devils without “corporeal punishment” is a lesson to all those parents for whom accustoming their children to spanking is as holy as teaching them the word of God.Works CitedStraus, Murray A. "New Evidence for the Benefits of Never Spanking." Society. 38.6 (2001): 52-60. Print.