Burn The Paddle

Introduction

This is 2025, why are we still spanking our children and worse allowing others to spank our children? This blog is the beginning of a plea to stop this violence of our youth and pay attention to how this act hurts our children, rather than help them. It’s time to end this cycle and burn the paddle for good by changing the law to make it federally unacceptable in the United States. Be part of the change, not part of the problem.

States and Countries

There are nineteen states that allow the paddling of youth in schools until the 12th grade. The states that still allow it are Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming (1). The other states do not. Notice that it’s the Southern parts who continue this vicious cycle. The United States government need to make this federally illegal to sprike a child at all in schools, and not depend on the states individually.

It is not just in the schools that other countries have taken out corporal punishment, but all together and their crime rates went way down. These countries are Sweden, Cyprus, Finland, Austria, Greece, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, Ukraine, Italy, Togo, and Kosovo (2). Sweden being the leader out of these countries with a fourty year ban of spanking children (3) We all could learn a lot from Sweden. The list of countries who banned corporal punishment may be incomplete. With new research and the push for more gentle parenting other countries are starting to learn that spanking is more about control than true guidence.

The Damage

Most don’t know the damage they are causing striking a child, while others just don’t care or too confortable inflicting pain on others. These indiduals normal world is violent either from early childhood trauma or it’s accepted in the area they are living. Hitting children is wrong and there is not any resources that states that physical punishment is beneficial to the child at all causing physical, mental and behavioural outcomes (4).

The longterm effects for physical punishment has been studied for quite some time worldwide. It is associated with a range of mental health problems in children, youth and adults, including depression, unhappiness, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness, use of drugs and alcohol, and general psychological maladjustment (5). An example of a disorder it is linked to is Antisocial Personality Disorder, which starts out often times in early childhood as Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Studies have proven that children who have such a disorder thrive better in enviorments where postive reinforcement was used to guide the child to make better decisions, rather than physical punishment, as it makes their symptoms escalate causing further child aggression (6).

Why is the United States not taking this seriously? The law needs to change to protect our youth from further harm. Change starts in the home and eventually to our schools, decreasiing the violence in our nation.

The Change

How can we as a nation change this bad cycle of physical punishment towards our youth? We can outlaw this behavior and stop accepting it as normal for one. We can open ourselves up to new forms of parenting instead of what we were raised by and believe or what are society has accepted. We can check ourselves. If you have a history of child abuse (physical, mental, verbal, psychological, and/or, sexual) seek help with a mental health professional and/or turn to your spiritual practice/ relgion. Practice self-love, self-care, and meditation practices. Learn how to calm yourself, to be your best self, so your child has a positive role model to learn from. After all it is you, dear parents, who are their first teacher.

Some techniques used in gental parenting I have seen used in school, instead of paddling is positive reinforment, showing you understand, providing empathy, staying calm, connecting with your child, no matter if you are a parent, caregiver, or teacher, be consistent in setting boundaries, but not in such a way you frighten your child, plan for negative situations, children are learning and growing, set expectations up for others, don’t allow another to hurt your child either, remain positive, using yourself as a postive role model for your child to turn to, reward good behavior, a sticker chart, that leads to rewards, praise your child when they do a good job and when they don’t, focus on the behavor and not the child, for example intstead of blaming your child for being lazy, make a game of finding the floor, make it fun with songs and giggles (7).

Conclusion

Physical punishment does not belong in our schools. It doesn’t belong anywhere. There are other ways to go about conflicts that can cause a child to thrive instead of damaging their well-being. Physical punishment towards our youth should be banned from the United State, like it has been in other countries. It’s time to take a stand for our youth and break the cycle of our past. Be the change, not part of the problem.

Death & Roses

Burn The Paddle

Introduction

States and Countries

The Damage

The Change

Conclusion

Resource Links

Burn The Paddle

Introduction

States and Countries

The Damage

The Change

Conclusion

Resource Links

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