My friend once confided in me about a painful episode from her childhood, revealing that her mom slapped her across the face over a trivial matter. Understandably, the incident left her emotionally scarred.
We can say that the slap was uncalled for. Nonetheless, can we consider “a slap in the face” appropriate under certain circumstances?
Once, I was asked by a teen if it’s normal or okay for parents to slap their children in the cheek.
You see–children nowadays can be very hard-headed, rebellious, and disrespectful. Raising a teenager in this day and age is way more difficult than it has ever been.
We must understand that parents are humans too. They are also susceptible to respond in kind when severely provoked, especially when they’re also encumbered by debilitating stress.
Nonetheless, parents must strive to avoid hitting a little child in the face, as it’s not an acceptable disciplinary response to misbehavior. Doing so can damage your child’s self-esteem and well-being, and having low self-esteem can have long-lasting consequences, potentially impacting a child’s future in significant ways.
We must then address and rectify negative disciplinary methods as swiftly as possible. Taking such measures can help safeguard our children from the onset of psychological disorders that can have enduring effects throughout their lives.
The 5 Negative Effects of Slapping a Child in the Face
- Negative self-concept
- Aggressive behavior
- Intolerant even to constructive criticisms
- Anxiety disorder
- Prone to engage in a codependency relationship
1. Negative Self Concept
A negative self-concept is having a low opinion of oneself due to a perceived inability to measure up to other people’s expectations and standards. And as a result of having negative, deflated self-esteem, one can often feel inadequate, unworthy, and unloved.
When you slap kids in the face, they can develop a negative self-concept, as this unacceptable form of discipline will make them feel rejected and not worthy of respect and genuine affection.
Thus, they will grow up not holding themselves in high regard and will lack the confidence to accomplish their dreams and aspirations due to having a debilitating fear of failure and rejection.
In contrast, confident children are not afraid to take risks to achieve their goals when they become adults because they view failure differently than children who struggled with insecurity growing up.
2. Aggressive Behavior
Hitting your kids to correct unacceptable behavior will also give them the impression that it is okay to resort to violent means to correct mistakes or resolve conflicts.
As a result, they become even more predisposed to exhibiting the same violent behaviors toward others.
3. Sensitivity to Criticism
Constructive criticism is essential to growth both in our professional and personal life.
It enables us to build our character and improve our learning abilities to succeed in all our endeavors.
But parents who resort to adopting punitive discipline in dealing with misbehaviors will notice how sensitive their kids are to criticism.
And any criticism, whether or not it is constructive, can easily injure their pride. They often consider constructive criticism an insult rather than view it as an opportunity to learn.
4. Slapping a Child in the Face Can Cause Anxiety Disorder
They have heightened feelings of depression and anxiety than kids who are disciplined by calm and patient parents.
And having an anxiety disorder can disrupt all aspects of their life as it weakens their ability to cope with life’s challenges as they grow up.
5. Prone to Engage in Codependency Relationships
Children on the receiving end of their parents’ impulsive and aggressive behavior are more inclined to endure abusive relationships when they become adults because of their low self-esteem.
On the contrary, children who grew up with a positive self-image will not tolerate an abusive partner. They are more likely to leave the relationship sooner than later.
Conclusion
There are positive alternatives to disciplining children.
Being calm when disciplining your kids is still the best option in the long run. Doing so will positively impact their self-esteem and well-being.
If you wish to unspoil your child, here’s a link to a valuable article that will help you transform a child’s defiant behavior by employing positive discipline strategies.
Resources: https://aifs.gov.au/resources/short-articles/what-does-evidence-tell-us-about-physical-punishment-children
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2021/jan/smacking-young-children-has-long-lasting-effects