Physical Discipline, Physical Punishment Parents these days seem to have a dim view of what discipline really is. The terms “discipline” and “punishment” can often cause a lot of confusion. Both are applied to a child after he or she has acted wrongly or exhibited improper behavior. This is the only similarity. Because of the variety of differences between the two, parents find themselves caught between them and are often unsure of how or when to correct and educate their children. The main difference between discipline and punishment is that discipline is the instillation of good behavior in children while punishment is the infliction of punishment for a misdeed. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Discipline is the correction and training to act in accordance with the rules (“Discipline”). The importance of this definition is the word “and”. Many people think of discipline as “training” or “correction,” but the full definition is both. This is because when a parent disciplines his child, he is telling him what he did wrong. After saying this, the parent tells the child what he should have done but didn't. The reason for both is that the child will be better trained for the future. He will understand what the difference is between right and wrong and will choose the right thing if he is taught correctly. As Bruno Bettelheim states, “A child can only be expected to behave well if his parents live according to the values they teach” (51). Without adequate knowledge and understanding of what is expected of him, the child cannot know what is right or wrong, and therefore does what he wants, no matter whether it is actually right or wrong. If a parent teaches a child in this way, the child has a better chance of doing what is expected of him the first time he is given the choice. The focus of a child's discipline is future correct acts (Ingram). Therefore, good parent training teaches the child to become more mature and stable in his behavior. In fact, DH Sailor states that the discipline “guides and teaches, requires understanding, time and patience, teaches problem solving and builds a positive self-image, and develops self-control and long-term cooperation.” For discipline to work properly, a parent must remember to educate his child about love. While disciplining his child, a parent's attitude is very important. Since the purpose of discipline is to train for correction and maturity, says Chip Ingram, the parent should be concerned with what the child learns that will characterize his or her right or wrong behavior in the future. The purpose of discipline from the parent's point of view must be that of love for the child. Punishment, on the other hand, is a punishment meted out for an offense. Punishment is usually described as physical punishment, although it can also be verbal or emotional. Instead of focusing on the child's future correct actions, the focus is on his past misdeeds (Ingram). This punishment is aimed more at the child himself than concern for what he does. If the child does not know what he is doing wrong and the parent punishes him, then the child will not be able to learn from the experience and improve his future behavior. This is why physical punishment is not a good way to raise children. The confusing part about using physical consequences for bad child behavior is that there is a big difference between physical punishment and physical discipline. The Bible says, "He who holds back his rod.
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