Essay On The Difference Between Child Abuse And Discipline

There is a difference between abuse and discipline and when this line is crossed, children cannot benefit from positively reinforced behavior. Neglect and abuse are not functions of discipline, and should never be used to punish your child. The point of disciplining children is to teach them right from wrong not to make them live in fear of making mistakes. Parents need to understand the fine line between abuse and discipline. Discipline should be positive reinforcement, it should be consistent, and it should be a learning opportunity for the child. Child abuse and neglect will affect the parent-child relationship, it will brutalize the parents, and can affect the child's life forever. It is important to positively reinforce good behavior and discipline to benefit both the children and the parents.

Abuse is not only physical, it can also be emotional.

Physical and emotional abuse affects the child’s life equally, so one will never be better or worse than the other. Physical abuse is “any non-accidental physical injury”. (Morin 1) Child neglect is defined as “the failure to provide a child with food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and the supervision necessary to prevent harm”. (Morin 2) Emotional abuse can be defined as the, “willful destruction of significant impairment of a child’s competence.” (Network of Victim Assistance) Children sometimes challenge parental expectations, sometimes they misbehave to get what they want, but it is part of a learning process for children. Although, it should not go without some type of consequence but the consequence should be beneficial to the child and the parent. It should teach the child a lesson in a positive manner, it should be a learning opportunity, and you must be consistent when disciplining. If you are not consistent when giving you’re disciplining your child it may cause confusion in the future and it may continue to happen and could get much

worse.
Physical abuse is “any non-accidental physical injury”. (Morin 1) There are many ways to physically harm or abuse a child. If a parent physically injures a child for the mistakes they have made then that could be a sign of abuse and you are crossing the line. You could strike at them, tie them up, purposely burn them, hold them under waters, anything that would physically injure a child is abuse. There are many signs and symptoms that could manifest from a child who may be physically abused. The child could have bruises, burns, bite marks, broken bones, welts, as well as behavior outbursts or withdrawn behaviors.
Although, some parents believe in corporal punishment. Corporal punishment is defined as, “