Analysis Of The Article 'Working And Growing Up In America'

The original article that I chose was “Working and Growing Up in America” by Sandra Susan Smith. I located this article on the Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. As I kept reading the article, I began to realize that it focused more on working while growing up, and not so much about disciplining children while growing up. So I kept looking on the Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center, and found an article called “Laying Down the Law” by Elisabeth King. In “Laying Down the Law,” King explores modern alternatives for punishing children.

Not too long ago, disciplining children was much simpler. It was a time when children actually listened to and respected their parents. It was the time of “Do what I say.” But today, child discipline is one

of the hottest topics within the parent community. During the Vietnam War, everyone started to question authority as an automatic concept and this attitude carried over into people’s everyday lives. Children in today’s society are taught to question along with debate everything and everyone. Punishment and discipline has become more of a negotiation than anything else. We are still using old ways of punishing children and many other ways that we were brought up at well. Today’s mothers are trying to balance being a mother and a paid job, so they cannot give their children the same attention as stay-at-home mothers once did. When thinking of child discipline, people only think about parents punishing their child, but that is not the case. Children also receive punishment outside of the home, whether it be at a friend’s house, day care, and even grade school. “Children are able to be enrolled in childcare centers as young as six weeks old. At five years old, every child receives the majority of their discipline training at school.
The key to raising respectable and well-behaved children is routine, rules and consistency. Parents expect their children to do what they are told, but as they grow older, the children, now young adults, expect the same consideration for their feelings as well. As a parent, being consistent with the rules, following through plays a major role in that. If a parent send their child to their room, in order for it to be an effective punishment, their room must have no distractions such as a tv or any other sort of entertainment. As for a child care facility, they can only discipline the child so much, it is the parents who are the constants in their lives.
Positive reinforcement is a great way of teaching young children right versus wrong. Positive reinforcement praises appropriate/positive behavior. There are programs for parents to teach them the right way of disciplining children, showing them different techniques. As a child, if the parent or authoritative figure is consistent with their behavioral management, then that will stick with that child throughout their life, and ultimately, they will choose those techniques of disciplining their own children. Parents sometimes forget that the punishment should be age appropriate. They say a parent should ask themselves before disciplining a child, “does it really matter?” Many parents feel that their child is in control, and not them. Public schools have set rules that the children must follow: do not be a road block to another person’s education, respect others and their property, use your manners in school, respect your teachers, no violence, no bullying, follow the dress code, no weapons, no drugs or alcohol allowed, figure out a peaceful resolution to problems and be aware of what the discipline policy is. It is important for children to be a positive role model and set good examples in school. That way a parent and teacher can build a bond and a good healthy relationship with their children and students, that way they want your approval.