To say that physical discipline isn't necessary in raising children who are expected to be responsible, of good morals and character, is a fallacy. This is evident in the reality we see today. A lot of the current generation of children are not much in morals, character and being responsible compared to older generations, and when we look closely we can see that the element of physical discipline has somewhat been missing.
Good character and morals are fast going down the drain. While there's a role that parents play in this, there's that of the children as well, who though they could be raised well, tend to go their way. Not to make it look easy, parenting is one of the most difficult things to do in this life, and parents should be respected and honoured for that, especially those who are intentional about the children they are raising.
Back to the discourse, a measure of physical discipline is helpful to put a child on the right path. It's true and even evident that physical discipline is not a guarantee for a child to grow to be responsible and of good character. Also, it's true that some parents probably use no physical discipline to train their children, who have grown to be responsible. But exceptions don't make the rule and the majority makes the case when it comes to analysis.
On that, a majority of what we see today is probably a failed balance between these two realities. Don't get me wrong, even though physical discipline shouldn't be ignored, it certainly shouldn't be extreme. This is where the failed balance is. Parents tend to be too harsh on their children, so every wrong call for beating. We can agree that this existed well among older generations, and somehow it made things worse for some children.
I remember seeing a sad post some days back where a boy lost his life in his bid to try and recover a bucket he lost because when the mother came back, he knew he was going to receive a beating he wouldn't forget. Now, that's the problem and where boundaries need to be put in place. In some cases, it's like parents hate their children, giving them such a beating. By the way, I think there's a thin line between discipline and beating.
Physical discipline then needs to be checked in that regard. The other concern is when we try to demonise physical discipline. There should be a balance between need and extremity. This is where modernism could be harming us. We can agree that most children disciplined in such a way tend to be responsible. It's clear from some of the Western countries where child discipline in this regard is prohibited and how most children turn out poorly in character.
Again, this isn't to say it's the sure way. Physical discipline and a subtle way that requires no such discipline are needed for a balance, and according to the stages of a child's growth. There are times they just need to be talked to, sometimes just scolded or other times advised. Physical discipline doesn't help in all cases, and can be harmful rather than corrective in solving the problem. It's a case for wisdom in this matter. May we do good parenting.
