Some lessons shape a child’s future, but when those lessons come with fear and pain, the scars last longer than the memories.
Fez – Some children grow up in homes filled with love, patience, and understanding. Others live in fear of raised voices, harsh words, and hands that should comfort but instead cause pain.
The debate on whether parents should use violence to educate their children is not new, but the scars, both visible and hidden, are real.
Many parents believe that hitting a child teaches discipline. They say that strict punishment builds strong character. But fear is not respect.
A child who fears a parent may obey, but not out of understanding. Instead, they learn to associate love with pain.
They grow up walking on eggshells, afraid of making mistakes. They learn to hide their failures rather than face them.
Discipline is important, but violence is not discipline; it’s control. There is a difference between teaching a child and making them afraid.
A child who is shouted at, slapped, or beaten does not learn right from wrong. They learn that power wins.
They learn that those who are stronger can hurt those who are weaker.
Studies show that children raised with physical punishment are more likely to struggle with anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
They may also become aggressive, repeating the same cycle with their own children. Some grow up never feeling good enough, constantly doubting their worth.
The wounds left by violence do not heal with time. They shape the way children see themselves and the world around them.
Breaking the vicious cycle of child abuse
Many parents say they hit their children because they were raised the same way. But if something caused pain, should it be repeated?
If a child learns best through kindness and communication, why choose violence? Parents have the power to break the cycle.
Teaching a child through patience and guidance creates confidence, not fear.
Violence does not only come in the form of physical punishment. Harsh words, insults, and humiliation cut just as deep.
A child who is constantly told they are useless will grow up believing it. They will carry those words into adulthood, hearing them in their minds long after they have left their childhood home.
Children remember how they were treated more than the lessons they were taught. They remember the nights they cried in silence.
They remember the times they were too afraid to ask for help. But they also remember the moments when someone chose to listen instead of yell, to guide instead of punish.
Raising a child is not easy. There are moments of frustration and exhaustion. But violence is not the answer.
A child’s heart is fragile, and the way they are treated shapes the person they become. Words can heal or destroy. Hands can comfort or harm.
Parents have a choice: to raise a child in fear or love. One leaves wounds. The other teaches self-esteem and can lay the groundwork for resilience for later in the child’s life.
And in the end, a child who grows up feeling safe will always remember the home that taught them love over fear.
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