Passed down from generation to generation, perhaps the phrase: "Spare the rod and spoil the child" is the most well-known parenting advice from the older generation.
As a father, when making disciplinary decisions I may sometimes be tempted to pick up a cane.
Of course, what sends a signal to my naughty son, who loves mischief, better than a red stinging mark on his body? That, I disagree.
As parents, I believe that physical punishment should always be avoided, even as a last resort.
Children being children are bound to make mistakes.
If they are punished with pain mistakes, they will grow afraid of trying and making mistakes.
Isn't learning from mistakes the most effective way of learning? Teaching is not easy, especially when trying to mold a young mind, and to give it a bright future takes special patience.
I cannot stress the importance of effective communication when imparting the understandings of this world down to the next generation.
If you explain, they forget.
If you show them, they understand.
And if you involve them, they will be committed.
Take my son for example.
As a toddler, we have to constantly remind him to go to the bathroom before he goes to bed every night.
Once, we forgot to remind him.
The following day he wet his bed.
Instead of hitting him with a cane like his grandfather used to hit me for the same reasons, we explained to him patiently, and get him to help with cleaning up.
From then on when he would wet the bed again, he was responsible for his own cleaning up.
Thereby teaching him that he has to take responsibility for any problems he caused.
We have other ways to teach him too, including various forms of negative reinforcement and positive reinforcement.
My son learns through negative reinforcement, that he needs to get up on time in order to take the school bus.
, otherwise he will have to walk to school holding his mother's hand.
He also learnt through positive reinforcement that he gets to spend more time on games if he finishes his homework early.
By explaining to him the desirable actions, and the following desired outcomes, or undesired outcomes for not doing, we found that he is able to understand better what he is supposed to do and not do.
Another important thing to note is that parents should always follow what was taught to the child, as performing conflicting actions will confuse the child.
Ultimately, parents should be the role models promoting the right behavior.
Your children are precious.
Instead of using physical punishment to punish them for their mistakes, parents should take time to patiently explain why things are done the way they are.