Some people today believe that it is acceptable to use physical force to discipline children, but others feel it is completely unacceptable/ Discuss this view and give your opinion

Punishing children with physical

force

, or corporal

punishment

as it is

also

called, is something that was accepted not so long ago and people over the age of forty may well remember it. Nowadays, corporal

punishment

is against the law in most countries and adults who practise it can be taken to court. Children are always a vulnerable group and they depend on adults for protection and education. Of course, part of the growing up process is testing and breaking boundaries and it is nearly always necessary to instil

discipline

on a

child

. Whether or not it is necessary to use physical

force

to do so can be a very emotive subject. Supporters of corporal

punishment

often defend their standpoint by explaining that corporal

punishment

is not, or should not be, excessive. They do not argue that a

child

should be beaten severely until he or she is bruised or cut. They argue that just the infliction of mild pain causes effective

discipline

and

also

the fear that it might be applied. People especially who grew up experiencing it might offer

this

point of view. People who oppose using physical

force

on a

child

would say that the vulnerability and innocence of a

child

mean that

force

should never be used. Children need to trust adults and believe that no harm will come to them.

Additionally

, children learn from adults and it is argued that corporal

punishment

will only teach children that

force

is an answer to various problems. It is

also

claimed that corporal

punishment

has no added benefits over other forms of

discipline

that do not require physical

force

. Using it can cause psychological harm to children and should be classed as

child

abuse. Personally, I do not believe that limited use of forms of corporal

punishment

can cause harm and a parent who administers a mild form of it to his or her

child

should not be subject to criminal proceedings.

Nevertheless

, I would not use it myself. I can

also

recognise the possibilities of adults who are not a

child

’s parents misusing corporal

punishment

.

Therefore

, I believe that on balance physical

force

to

discipline

children should not be permitted.