Corporal punishment, synonymous with physical punishment, is the intentional infliction of pain on the body for punishment or to control behavior. Although extensive research shows that spanking is ineffective and inflicts harm on children, many parents today still support spanking as a form of discipline.

Parents who support spanking often believe it is an effective way to manage a child’s behavior. Often times, if the parents themselves were spanked as children, they may feel that if they don’t spank their own children, then they will grow up spoiled. “Spare the rod and spoil the child” is the infamous quote that guides the philosophy, however spanking is not only an ineffective form of discipline; it can also be counterproductive and dangerous.

Spanking is an ineffective way to manage behavior because it does not involve verbal communication or reasoning with the child. After being spanked, the child may temporarily stop the behavior, but chances are they will repeat it. In the short run, hitting might make the child behave better, but in the long run, it creates more problems for both parent and child. Some e