Public debate in the US

27 September 2014

There has been a considerable amount of publicity and debate in the US recently about the use of physical punishment with children following the case of a well-known sports star being prosecuted after punishing his child by beating him with a switch (tree branch) causing some injuries.  In his defence, the star calls on his own experiences of physical punishment as a child and the need to discipline the child to teach his child right from wrong. An article from the US published recently in the NZ Herald  points out very clearly is that physical punishment does not teach children how to behave well. Among other things it teaches children to hit when conflict arises.