Black Parents & Physical Discipline
Based on the Work of Oscar Barbarin, PhD, Professor at the University of North Carolina School of Social Work, http://ssw.unc.edu/RTI/presentation/PDFs/a...
Parenting and Discipline
African American families tend to be more
hierarchical and are more likely to be strict, to
hold demanding behavioral standards, and to
use physical discipline.
Such strictness is, however, balanced within a
context of strong support and affection.
Physical punishment among African American
families usually doesn’t result in the same
negative outcomes as it does for white children.
Do you use physical discipline with your child or children, or do you feel physical discipline should be against the law?
Parenting and Discipline
African American families tend to be more
hierarchical and are more likely to be strict, to
hold demanding behavioral standards, and to
use physical discipline.
Such strictness is, however, balanced within a
context of strong support and affection.
Physical punishment among African American
families usually doesn’t result in the same
negative outcomes as it does for white children.
Do you use physical discipline with your child or children, or do you feel physical discipline should be against the law?
Physical discipline in the African-American family has its roots in slavery. Most African-Americans over 45 years of age can identify with the "switch, extension cord, razor strap, belt, bloom handle, hair brush, shoe and frying pan". All of which, and more, were used to discipline slaves. This form of punishment to keep people in line carried over into the liberation period of the African here in America.
The "whip" is what we are accustomed to seeing, in regards to a slave master and his "property". Even the term "Cracker", is derived from the cord on the end of a stick that makes a cracking sound when flicked. When white carriage drivers in the South snapped their whip at their horses or black people in passing they were referred to as Cracker (They even had a political party).
There is no reason to discipline a child by "Flogging". Due to the fact that we have been conditioned to believe that "beating" is right, it is a punishment that a child will remember for the rest of his/her life, just as you do.
Talk with your children. A good conversation has a greater effect on the psyche of a child than brute force. I even remember conversations with my grandmother, where I would have rather had a beating than the talk (I think we all have those memories too).
Talk with your child. Western ways and values of corporal punishment is destructive to the psychological and physical wellbeing of any human being.