Research by leading pediatricians, the American Psychological Association, and countless other sources since the 1960s has completely revolutionized parenting and fundamentally changed the way parents raise their children. From what you feed a child to what your children should watch on TV have been studied extensively, but nothing other than corporal punishment as a means of discipline. Discipline is arguably one of the hardest things any parent faces when raising a child. Many parents, whether having their first child or already raising a family, often wonder: Is corporal punishment an acceptable form of discipline and what effect might it have on my child? As Dr. Spock wrote in his parenting guide: “The best test of a punishment is whether it accomplishes what you want without having harmful effects” (Spock & Needlman, 2004, p. 427). I believe that corporal punishment is not an effective form of discipline because it constitutes aggressive and violent behavior, its overall ineffectiveness in stopping the repetition of negative behavior, and the harmful short and long term effects it have on the child's psyche. Most parents make a decision. A very traditional approach to raising their children is that a "no impact" policy is thought to be permissive, with critics warning that failing to physically discipline your children will result in wild and unruly behavior without regard for the consequences of their actions. It is important to understand that discipline does not mean corporal punishment. Corporal punishment can be defined as physical pain used as retribution, this can include: spanking, slapping, grabbing or shoving a child “roughly”, pinching and hitting with certain traditionally acceptable objects such as a belt or paddle..... .. middle of paper ......this to both new parents and parents already raising a family, equally applying across the cultural spectrum.Straus, MA & Donnelly, DA (2001). Beating the devil out of them: Corporal punishment in American families, effects on children. (2nd ed.). New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Approaching children's mental development and particularly corporal punishment from a rational perspective, while sticking to facts rather than myths, Murray Straus is one of the leading advocates of no recourse corporal punishment at home. His book details studies that demonstrate a correlation between parental corporal punishment and emotional problems in children. Additionally, the book details research showing emotional effects later in life, such as increased crime rates, increased depression rates, and increased risks of intimate partner violence and domestic violence...