Is it permissible for parents to spank a child?

Many of us may recall how our parents spanked us in disobedience as a child. Statistics show that more than 300 million children worldwide are punished. Usually, children are spanked easily so as not to cause physical pain, but only affect their behavior. This form of punishment has been common for decades and even centuries. It was believed that spanking could even be useful because it helps to alter a child’s bad behavior.

However, over the past decades, attitudes towards punishments of this kind have changed. In the late 90s of the twentieth century, scientists first stated that spanking children is unacceptable. They hold this opinion today.

What is the reason for such changes? Until the 1990s, light physical punishment was a common educational method throughout the world. They were not considered physical abuse. Around the same time, the first scientific papers began to appear, confirming that physical punishment has negative consequences for the behavior and emotions of children. Modern research proves this thesis. Continue reading →