The article by Telep (2009) is a valuable source of information about the role of discipline in children’s upbringing and the harm of punishment on the child’s self-concept, behavior, and life choices. This article made me think about the complexity of the approaches to upbringing and the rationality of disciplinary tool choice when addressing children’s misbehavior or reinforcing positive behavior.
One of the essential thoughts that I found in the text is the idea of identifying punishment, especially physical and verbal abuse, as a contributor to a vicious circle of bad behavior. Since children commonly assume that they are treated with abuse because something is wrong with them. Therefore, “if children think they are “bad,” then they will act “bad” never realizing how to act appropriately (Telep, 2009, p. 2). Thus, punishment teaches children to be dependent on the judgment of parents and fails to teach self-control.
When dealing with parents who see punishment as the only way to discipline children, I find it challenging to comprehend their logic. The act of physical punishment, for example, reduces distress and anger in a parent but burdens a child with an array of negative consequences, including low self-esteem, dysfunctional self-control, and consideration of physical abuse as a way of solving problems (Telep, 2009). Children exposed to such methods are more difficult to work with because they only act well when watched.
The information presented in the article will be very useful for me in my daily interaction with children since it provides validated guidelines for disciplining with the prioritization of the child’s benefit. I will use mild and non-punishing methods of discipline to ensure that my behavior does not harm children’s self-concepts but encourages self-control and teaches how to use consequences as a learning opportunity (Telep, 2009). I will eliminate punishment to avoid setting a wrong model for problem-solving for children; instead, I will teach them to take responsibility for their actions through deliberate disciplining methods.
Reference
Telep, V. G. (2009). Discipline and punishment: What is the difference. Virginia Cooperative Extension, 350-111, 1-8.