The Problem with Punishing Children

[Image eaten by the internet]

[Text: What bothers me so much about punishing children is that it is a conscious effort to hurt them . . . . The question that must be asked is why we are, and have been, so willing to hurt our children in order to get them to behave—to treat them as criminals, slaves, and animals. ~ James Kimmell]

I love the above image and feel that it really encapsulates a lot of my thoughts. I personally left off punishing my daughter Sally about a year or so ago. And you know what? The sky hasn’t fallen. In fact, the opposite has happened. Moving away from the concept of punishment entirely has done wonders for my relationship with my daughter, and has also helped Sally develop greater self confidence and awareness of others’ needs and her place in the world. (If the idea of parenting without punishment seems foreign or impossible to you, I recommend this link as an introduction.)

How about you? Do you agree with the sentiments expressed in the above image? Or do you disagree?