Teaching Styles

Would you spank your child?

At first I would. When I was 20-24, I would have answered yes. Now that I'm 28, I'm going to say no. Because there are other ways to chastise a child.

They need to look up to adults. So I believe that you teach them at a young age that everyone deserves respect. You must be humble and let your kids see it. Now there is a difference in being humble and being a walked over. Be generous but not a safety net. Growing up and seeing this played out in everyday life at home and time with family only further distinguishes your values from the rest of the world that the kid experiences at school, others' houses, and his or her own life as they group and from under your roof. This also means that you must praise your children when they deserve it. Not coddle them, but uplift them when they do the right thing without you saying anything. Don't uplift other kids in front of your child. They are listening. They are always listening. Jealousy is not good in any situation. If your child has it in their mind that you favor another kid over them, you have lost them. It will burn in them. They will feel that nothing will make you happy, because they are not the kid that you favor by talking about openly.

In the end it is about respect and not how much stronger you are and how hard you can hit them to keep your child or children in line. Respect will last longer than the pain of a spanking. It is almost like the warm fuzzy version of touching the stove.