Non-Violent Methods Are A More Effective Way Of Training Children

In contemporary society, it is generally assumed that children receive a better

education by teaching them with non-violent methods, although this was not the case for

centuries. Since the early Victorian times, the general feeling was "Spare the rod and

spoil the child." During these times children were physically disciplined in both the

school and at home. Only with the enlightened parenting views of the 1960's and forward

have experts come to the realization that children are far better off when they are raised

non-violently. What in fact are these differences and how do they affect the child? Abuse

can cause a child to be confused by the parent’s actions. The parent’s actions are what

cause a negative effect on the child's development and on society as a whole.

Parents often give mixed messages about abuse. When children hear about abuse

in the media they know that they should not be abused, and often the parents will echo

these sentiments. Yet, when a parent becomes angry or frustrated in their own lives, they

strike out at the innocent victim, the child. This makes the child more confused and

distant their trust of authority figures. Economics also has a lot to do with violence. It is

well known that domestic violence occurs more often among families who are financially

strapped for long periods of time. The lack of material resources can heighten the

occurrences of domestic violence. A parent will often neglect the needs of the child and

focus on their needs. Substance abuse is common among families where violence is

found.

When a child is hit, the only thing she or he grows up with, as a priority is

defensiveness and need for protection from others, particularly if the beating begins at a

young age. (100-114). In the book, Essentials of Psychology, Rathus describes a case of

an 11 year old boy Max, who has finally been remanded to see a therapist, and is the

victim of abusive parents. He describes how his perception of the experience is initially,

"bull*censored*," and how he was defensive with the therapist. He said the only reason he was

there was " because his stupid mother had forced him to go

Bibliography

,"(114).

Word Count: 378