Child Abuse (cont.)

Medical Author:

David Perlstein, MD, MBA, FAAP

David Perlstein, MD, MBA, FAAP

Dr. Perlstein received his Medical Degree from the University of Cincinnati and then completed his internship and residency in pediatrics at The New York Hospital, Cornell medical Center in New York City. After serving an additional year as Chief Pediatric Resident, he worked as a private practitioner and then was appointed Director of Ambulatory Pediatrics at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx.

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Medical Editor:

Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MD

Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MD

Dr. Roxanne Dryden-Edwards is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist. She is a former Chair of the Committee on Developmental Disabilities for the American Psychiatric Association, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and Medical Director of the National Center for Children and Families in Bethesda, Maryland.

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Raising children can be a successful and satisfying experience. Without basic parenting skills, the task is difficult and frustrating.

Children seek love and discipline. Discipline takes the form of structured environment, rules, boundaries and complimenting appropriate behaviors, not just physical punishment and obedience. Love and encouragement is the complementary behavior to discipline. Both are necessary if you are to be a successful parent. Both are needed to create the correct balance of concern and caring required to raise well-adjusted and happy children. When love and discipline are blended correctly, your child will be mentally healthy, self-assured, responsible, self-controlled, and prepared for their own parenting experience.

It is important for parents to understand the limited role of spanking and corporal punishment. Many parents have successfully raised children without resorting to corporal punishment.

The following nonphysical forms of punishment are effective alternatives to physical forms of punishment.

• Timeouts
• Sending children to their rooms
• Taking away privileges of various types
• Denying children enjoyable activities
• It is important to remember that clarity and consistency regarding expectations and consequences are paramount when disciplining children. Even the youngest child who uses words can understand simple explanations from their caretakers about acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.

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