Children need love to thrive not fear. Please don't spank your kids

I wish it would be clear to parents that hitting children does much more harm than good. Spanking is not an effective way to teach children good behaviour. . 

Despite how children may act in their wilder moments, children are not wild animals that have to be tamed into submission. . They are learning from the adults in their world. If we want to teach them to treat others with kindness and compassion, we need to model that behaviour. If we want them to learn to use to their words not their hands, when they are frustrated, then we must do the same.

Children respond best to being lovingly seen, held and led. When they are in right relationship with their parents, children will want to please them, naturally. Yes, they will test boundaries. Yes, they will express their unrest behaviourally and no, they never need to be scared of a parent to learn proper behaviour. . 

If you use spanking as discipline, you may not see the impact right away because children adapt to whatever is happening in their houses. The impact of the fear may not be apparent. I have seen the impact of suppressed fear in patients who were spanking years later. Spanking can create shame and negatively impact self-worth. . 

Not sure how to make the change? There are many excellent resources. Kim John Payne, The Soul of Discipline, is one of my favourites.