Discipline

What does it really mean?

(Image from Adelaide The Advertiser)

This is one of the most subjective topics in the world. Discipline and its meaning, severity and physicality are different to every individual and their own emotions and experiences. As to how much and far disciplining of a child or anyone should go is up to the parent, and in the modern day is done in secrecy as well.

Mainstream society doesn’t support physical disciplining of children anymore. With my upbringing, I just took it as something every child had to go with. It makes us stronger, makes us not submit to the same mistakes over and over again. A threat is important for that, the consequence of doing something can prevent us from making errors every day.

Therefore, smacking or hitting a child for disciplinary reasons has gone into the underworld. A Poll done on the Adelaide Advertiser revealed that over 85% of parents have hit their child, however they regret doing so. Scarily still, only a mere 5% of those who voted only hit their child when danger is present – disciplining. This can represent a change in how disciplining is now conducted. Is it really to prevent a child from doing something, or an excuse to take frustrations out on somebody smaller and younger?

From experience, I’ve faced the pain mainly for the disciplining way. When younger, if I did something dangerous of bad it was a slap to the face. Whether or not that slap was malicious or not, it taught me never to do it again. It is, however, sickening if parents use their child as a personal punching bag to vent frustrations. As I’ve now entered adulthood and joined University and other social clubs I meet a lot of parents and see how disciplining works in different families. From talking to parents I’ve gathered that children can cause frustration easily to the parent’s eye, but the acceptance is there that they are children. If you have a child you should be ready for the onslaught of disciplinary actions needed to control them.

Other animals learnt the hard way through evolution where many of the species would have died because of an accident one made and rest followed. Us being human and having the ability to learn more, plus the invention of the internet, having a child should is something that can be researched and the expected outcomes to persist. Of course every child is different and reacts in its unique way, but some basic forms of annoyance can be generalised and parents should be aware of this.

Discipline in society is important, and as a follow up to myarticle on young teenagers roaming streets at night, more may need to be exhibited to prevent chaos and dangers happening.