Many parents want to do whats right-but when they turn to the experts, they get conflicting advice. One day researchers indicate that it is ok to punish your child for misbehaving;the next day, they indicate that it is never ok to punish your child. What should a parent do when it seems like even the experts cannot make up their mind?

           This is a very controversial topic, and there really is no right answer (because it is the opinion of the individual) when it comes to discussing whether or not a parent should punish their child for misbehaving. This has to do a lot with the culture the parent(s) were raised in and/or come from. Each culture has their own form of dealing with these types of problems. (There are certain norms that most people tend to follow.)

            I personally believe that it is okay for a parent to punish their child for misbehaving. As long as the punishment is reasonable and the parent explains (that way the child understands what is going on) why the child is being punished, then there should be no problem. For example if your toddler is in the store with you and takes a toy from the store (meaning that the toy was not paid for) even after you had told them not to take it, then you can correct this type of behavior by sitting down and talking to them. You must explain why it was wrong and the consequences that they could face. The child will begin to understand why they should not behave in that manner, and they will remember the next time.

 The only problem that can arise is if the child is constantly being punished for small mistakes and or behaviors. If this is the case then the parent(s) and the child should sit own to talk and come to an agreement to attempt to correct the behavior.

            Another problem that may arise from these types of situations is that the type of punishment that is being inflicted is violent. I am strongly against violence, especially if it is being used to correct behavior. There is no need to inflict trauma upon a child in order to try and correct their behavior, doing this may be detrimental to them in the long run.

            Once again, I would like to clarify that there really is no right or wrong answer here. This is my personal opinion and I hope that it can serve as a guideline or reference, but it does not mean that this is the only way that it can be done. There are numerous other ways to teach children right from wrong, this is simply one of them.