Do parents have the right to spank their children? This question has confused millions of parents who want and have tried to physically discipline their children. The definition of abuse has changed greatly over the years; it has taken away parents' rights and ability to spank their children as they see fit. If a parent decides to spank their child, many people can easily misinterpret the spanking as abuse, but when does a parent know when is the right time to spank their child? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Growing up, my mother was a very strict parent towards me and my siblings. Being a single mother and raising three children was a real challenge for her. Sometimes he would try to communicate with us verbally, but when the message didn't get through, he had no choice but to resort to other disciplinary means such as spanking. For some reason, spanking was the most effective way for her to get us three guys to cooperate with her. My siblings and I never considered my mother an abusive parent or judged her for spanking us. I have always considered spanking a tradition passed down from generation to generation. My grandparents spanked me, my brothers, and my aunt Susanna too. On the other hand, my aunt's Mary and Benita decided they didn't want to raise their children the way they were raised, which they called "the old fashioned way." Elizabeth Gershoff, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin, says there are no positive outcomes when spanking a child and the less you spank the more disciplined the child will become. It also states that children may feel or expect others to be rude or hostile towards them. Now, I can be quite honest, my siblings and I grew up with much more respect towards our mother and especially towards our elders. My aunt's children or my cousins ​​never disrespected my mother nor dared to disrespect my grandparents. Their children sometimes became angry and out of control towards my aunts. My mother always told them, "Just because your parents refuse to spank your children, don't think for a second that I wouldn't spank you." Because of this, my cousins ​​have learned to respect my mother more than their own parents. . I really don't think spanking a child is the wrong thing to do. I always ask myself three simple questions to determine if a spanking is necessary. The first question I ask myself is, “Are they disobeying after being told not to do something?” The second question I ask is, “Are they disrespecting me or someone else?” The third and final question I ask is, “Are all reasons for spanking justifiable?” If I get a “yes” on all three questions, then a spanking is in order. Knowing when and how to spank your children can be very confusing. Some parents may feel guilty or ashamed after spanking their children. Other parents may feel that spanking is justified and simply turn their heads and say, "I told you I would spank if you didn't listen." I don't think it's fair to judge a parent for spanking their child, but a parent can be judged for how they chose to spank their child. Excessive verbal, physical and mental abuse is an example of why some parents are judged for the way they discipline their children. A child receiving a spanking on the butt from a parent is not for me.