I don’t think I’ve ever spanked my kids. We just don’t do it. I don’t know really any parents who do it. I think that went away with the “two-martini work-day” and the “aproned-baking Leave it to Beaver, pearl-wearing” moms. It doesn’t seem right, right?
Esther Joseph, an advocate against corporal punishment in the home, is the author of Memories of Hell, Visions of Heaven—A Story of Survival Transformation and Hope. She spent her childhood suffering physical and emotional abuse from her parents but does not consider herself a victim. She is a survivor of child abuse and offers these alternatives to spanking:
• Be a Good Example – Parents must live by example, allowing their actions and not just their words to exemplify the kind of person they would like their child to become.
• Be One Step Ahead – Don’t wait until your child has done something “wrong” to have a talk with them. Parents can circumvent many foreseeable challenges by addressing them before they become an issue.
• Be Creative – One type of punishment does not work for every child. Parents must figure out and utilize a form of reprimand that would work best for their child’s particular temperament.
Esther Joseph was born and raised on the tiny Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. She moved to the U.S. at the age of 16 with her mother and two older brothers. She holds a Master’s Degree in international affairs from New York University. Her goal is to help others still in the grips of abuse and violence to break the cycle and find a way to a place of healing.
I do spank my child as do many parents around here.