Corporal Punishment
Corporal punishment is the delivery of pain to the body intended to punish a person or change their behavior. Is spanking a suitable form of discipline, or does it lead to child abuse? According to Department of Health and Senior Services, Abuse is defined in Missouri as “Any physical injury, … … … … inflicted on a child other than by accidental means by those responsible for the child’s care, custody, and control, except that discipline including spanking, administered in a reasonable manner, shall not be construed to be abuse. ”( RS 210. 110 MO. ) Therefore, spanking is legal. While injuring a child is illegal, corporal punishment is lawful. Is moderate spanking appropriate? Spanking worked the best when linked with other disciplinary methods such as “time out. ” combining reasoning with spanking hinders misbehavior longer than either reasoning or spanking alone.