In “Spanking and violence: A link we’d rather ignore” (Commentary, Sept. 25), Salim Muwakkil rails against corporal punishment, specifically spanking of children. He cites studies that link it to subsequent violent behavior. If spanking is performed as an act of retribution, that may be true.
I was spanked (open hand or paddle to the gluteus) both by my parents and by my schoolteachers when my behavior did not improve as a result of other corrective efforts. In spite of several spankings, I did not become a violent adolescent or adult. I have not assaulted or killed anyone.
Why? The secret, if there is one, is the context in which the corrective action was administered. It was not a vengeful explosion. It was instead a measured response with the reason fully explained and understood by yours truly. Though I might have been distressed at the act in the moment, I also knew in my heart that these people, both my parents and my teachers, loved and cared for me by the way they behaved toward me the other 99.9999 percent of the time.
That is what I mean by context. I was not alone in this. Most of my friends “suffered” the same fate; but again, we knew that our elders cared, and that makes all the difference. We did not become violent adolescents or adults.
Some might argue that the spankings were ineffective, as they had to be repeated. The fact that I eventually got the message merely suggests that I required more positive reinforcement than did others.
Is spanking effective for all children? Perhaps other methods may be as effective or more so, depending on the nature of the child. It is merely one option available to a parent in the challenge of raising a child.
Can spanking be bad? Of course. If a parent constantly beats a child and never shows love, it could have a negative impact.
But don’t condemn it carte blanche. In the right environment, spanking can be an effective method of correcting improper behavior in children if parents also establish a loving and caring home.
