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Washing a child’s mouth out with soap as a form of behavior modification for backtalk or using inappropriate language was popular with parents of a certain generation. I vaguely remember tasting Ivory soap bubbles as a young child. My older brothers, on the other hand, were more familiar with the smack of the leather belt for their youthful transgressions.
By today’s standards, these parenting techniques may be considered a form of child maltreatment. Psychology and the law have made great strides in the years since my childhood to define what is and isn’t considered child neglect and abuse when it comes to forms of discipline, to protect the physical and mental well-being of children.
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What is Corporal Punishment?
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Corporal punishment is defined by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child as “any punishment in which physical force is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, however light.” (World Health Organization)
“Discipline is an important part of parenting,” said Julie Nichols, administrative caseworker for Monroe County Child and Family Services. “Parents utilize discipline as a tool to teach children important lessons to keep themselves and others safe in life.”
Most parents do not intend to harm their children when using corporal punishment, as they may believe it is an effective form of discipline. So when does it cross the line to be considered child maltreatment or abuse?
Since physical discipline is not illegal in New York State, it’s when it becomes excessive—when it goes beyond what is considered reasonable, causing injury or potential injury to a child—that it rises to the level of CPS intervention.
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Crossing the (Discip)Line
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“Time and time again, I have seen parents with good intentions utilize corporal punishment with instruments, such as belts or other objects, and unintentionally cause injury to their child,” said Nichols.
According to the Child Protective Services Manual of New York State, some critical factors to consider in deeming corporal punishment as excessive include assessing the age, development and health of the child, if the punishment is appropriate for the behavior, if the child understands the correction, and if the punishment carries a risk of injury to the child.
“It is often hard to gauge the force being used while inflicting punishment with instruments,” continued Nichols, “and children don’t often have the capacity to remain still while being physically struck. This can, and sometimes does, lead to injuries such as bruises, welts, and lacerations on children.”
According to the WHO, forms of inappropriate physical discipline may include hitting (smacking, slapping, spanking) children with a hand or implement (whip, stick, belt, shoe, wooden spoon, switch, baseball bat, ruler, etc.); kicking, shaking or throwing children; scratching, pinching, biting, pulling hair or boxing ears; forcing children to stay in uncomfortable positions like standing or sitting for a period of time; burning or scalding; forced ingestion (hot pepper sauce) or withholding food or liquids; and/or denying access to the bathroom.
Non-physical or verbal forms of inappropriate discipline include the act to belittle, humiliate, denigrate, scapegoat, threaten, scare, insult, shame or ridicule a child.
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Prevalence and Public Opinion
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Around 60% of children aged 2–14 years regularly suffer physical punishment by their parents or other caregivers. In some countries, almost all students report being physically punished by school staff. In the U.S., paddling is still allowed in public schools in 19 states.
A study conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union and Human Rights Watch in 2015 found that Black students and students with disabilities were paddled most often. Yet states with stricter laws regarding corporal punishment consider hitting children with a wooden paddle child abuse.
Despite public opposition to spanking, a survey conducted by the Harris Poll in 2013 discovered that 81% of Americans privately support spanking children. The poll found that older generations are more accepting of spanking, with 88% of mature parents, 85% of baby boomers, 82% of Gen X parents, and 72% of Millennial parents approving of corporal punishment.
However, in a more recent study (2020) developed by Prevent Child Abuse America, a majority of future parents 18 to 25 years old have no intention of using physical punishment with their children, pointing to a potential generational shift in attitudes.
Sources: World Health Organization, Verywell Family, and Prevent Child Abuse America
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“There are many other effective parenting and discipline methods that do not utilize physical means of punishment for children and can be safe and successful,” said Nichols.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends healthy forms of discipline, such as positive reinforcement of appropriate behaviors, setting limits, redirecting children, and setting future expectations. Kids need to be taught to control themselves through logical consequences.
Resources that use positive discipline to manage misbehavior are available for parents, teachers and other caregivers (see Resources below).
As always, if you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, call the New York State Child Abuse Hotline at 1 (800) 635-1522 or the Vulnerable Persons Central Register (VPCR) at 1 (855) 373-2122.
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