Advantages and Disadvantages of Disciplining Children
Abstract This essay will provide a discussion on the advantages and the disadvantages of disciplining children. The first part of the essay begins by elaborating on the disadvantages of disciplining children. These disadvantages include establishment of anxiety and fear, emotional fallout and rebellious behavior. The second part of the essay provides arguments on the advantages of disciplining children. Justification includes the advantages of, development of a child’s character, learning from the consequences and better decision making.
This essay concludes by supporting the second side of the discussion through saying that, disciplining children is indeed beneficial and important. (Approx: 96 words) Advantages and Disadvantages of Disciplining Children Children, one day, have to take the greater responsibility of becoming leaders but, to become a great leader, an individual must be disciplined. Disciplining process unleashes numerous directions to help children learn appropriate behaviors and allows better decisions to be made. Through educating the ethics and moral values, a child is able to take accountability and becomes aware of right and wrong.
However, there has always been intense debate and disagreements over the disciplinary strategies, methods and philosophies to be used to control children. Therefore, it is important to recognize that there are both advantages and disadvantages associated with disciplining children. Thus, there are arguments both opposing and supporting this discussion on disciplining children. To begin with, there are numerous disadvantages of disciplining children. One of these disadvantages is that it can establish anxiety and fear in a child.
The disciplinary strategies being used by parents can stimulate fear. This fear leads to poor attachment to parents hence, children turn to stay away. For instance, while some parents give children comfort, love and empowerment, others may discipline children with the use of physical and harsh punishments. Due to this, children tend to feel uncared for and this leads to poor development of self-esteem. Children often glance over parents for support and comfort, but the nervousness and fear derived may create an obstacle for children to present themselves.
These thoughts of refuge and sanctuary that enables a child to form a firm identity in the society is negatively influenced as fear remains and traits follow into adulthood of the child. Therefore, it is vital that parents reliably choose the approach when it comes to disciplining children. Furthermore, emotional fallout is another disadvantages of disciplining children. Emotional fallout occurs due to stern parenting and unrecognized emotions of children. This barrier arising from uneasiness leads to loss self esteem and the ability to mix around.
For instance, Phillips (2011) argues that, children require love, attention and affection from parents regularly. However, over disciplining causes genuine emotional turmoil for children. A child easily develops on this emotional chaos and this harms the child’s capacity to understand the real life. All of these, can lead to poor academic performance and anti-socialism. Thus, this indicates that the result of extreme disciplining can bring about terrible results in terms of emotional fallout. Additionally, rebellious behavior is another issue which is considered as a disadvantage of disciplining children.
Mutinous behavior can arise from using aggressive disciplinary strategies, if so, over time children begin to rebel parents. For instance, begin highly exposed to aggressive and violent behavior, children may adapt and develop these behaviors and this may influence the nature of the child. Phillips (2011) elaborates that: Most children exhibit signs of rebellion at one time or another. When parents subject a child to overly harsh discipline, they do so to obtain their own desired result. Although the child may comply, he will begin to be resentful.
Signs of rebellion creep in and materialize both in and outside of the home. He may start to exhibit disrespectful behavior, which morphs into more problematic issues down the line. Severe regulations, up-roaring orders, using rude language are some factors that can add to the development of rebellious behavior in a child. Children often become disrespectful to those parents who are too strict. Therefore, parents must carefully balance the disciplinary approach between care, softness, authority and enforcement. However, disciplining children can also bring about numerous advantages.
These advantages are not only limited to benefits to the children but extend far beyond to a nation’s growth. Some of these advantages include, development of child’s character, learning from the consequences and better decision making. Discipline helps in developing the character of a child. Development of character starts with discipline and proper guidance from parents. Parents ensure through discipline that children internalized good qualities so that, children fulfill the family expectations and get accepted in the society. Radzka (2009,p. ) agrees that disciplined children gain the good qualities of responsibility and good leadership if given the proper guidance by parents. For instance, being a team leader of an organization tests the qualities parents have instilled within the children through discipline. Discipline enhances ethics within children which moulds children to be a civilized and noble citizen. Therefore, development of the nature of a child is one of the advantages of disciplining children. Moreover, another advantage of disciplining children is that, it allows knowledge to be gained from the consequences.
The cost of the mistakes teaches great lessons to children as the child realizes what was done wrong. Karan (2010, p. 8) agrees by elaborating that, children become more conscious the next time they face the same situation. For example, children will understand that previously a concession was given and it is most likely that there may not be a second time where such a privilege was given. This makes children follow the right path and avoid the same mistakes again. Thus, this advantage allows children to be more careful and avoid repeating undulated mischief behaviors.
Finally, another advantage of disciplining children is that it allows better decision making. The main objective of disciplining is to aid children in internalizing morals and attitude’s of humanity which mould children to become matured individuals. These morals help children in making better judgment and helps in understanding real life. Sear (2001) highlights that, disciplined individual are matured and understand the right, wrong and what must be done for the betterment of the nation. For instance, children learnt he appropriate ways to function in a family and the society. These children have the maturity and mental capacity to differentiate between what is the right and wrong. Therefore, disciplined children have a broader understanding of social life. To conclude, it can be said that there are both pros and cons of disciplining children, however, the advantages outweighs the disadvantages due to the extreme advantages of learning from the penalties of the mistakes, expansion of child’s nature and better executive skills.
Successful development of foundations for discipline, provide good means for an effective disciplinary responses and this create massive advantages of disciplining children. If proper measures were taken than disciplining children would become easy and this will lead to even greater advantages. Disciplining children is important and there is no two ways about it, if proper disciplinary strategies are used to discipline children. (Approx: 1058 words) Bibliography Karan, M. 010, “Limit to child discipline”, The Fiji Times, 09 December, p. 8. Phillips, O. 2011, “The effects of over-disciplining children”, eHow , 15 March, viewed 10 September, 2011, http://www. ehow. com/info_8065528_effects-overdisciplining-children. html#ixzz1XEPVZ7Ng. Radzka, K. 2009, Child behavior and discipline, J. J. Press, London. p. 9. Sears, S. 2001, “Top ten discipline principles”, viewed 12 September, 2011, http://www. askdrsears. com/topics/discipline-behavior/top-ten-discipline-principles.
