DISCIPLINE
NOT PUNISHMENT
An Introduction to Corporal
Punishment and Positive
Discipline

Discipline and
Punishment
____________________________
Is there a difference?

DISCIPLINE PUNISHMENT
Discere - to learn Punire - to inflict a
Discipere - to penalty on, or cause
comprehend pain for some
Discipere - to teach offense

Discipline
Discipline aims to teach,
mentor, guide, help learn…
Role of the “teacher” or
“mentor” is to explain well
and demonstrate/ model good
behavior
Discipline is part of child
rearing and is not limited to
situations when there is a
mistake or offence

Punishment
Penalty for doing
something wrong
Controlling or “correcting
mistakes through the use
of pain
Teaching a (painful) Rosselle Arenas, 14
“lesson” so that the San Pedro, Laguna
mistake will not be
repeated

What is Corporal Punishment?
Punishment or penalty for an offence – imagined
or real.
It involves the use of force, power, authority or
intimidation to inflict some pain or discomfort on
the child for purposes of training or control.
It is usually administered by an adult who has the
authority or responsibility for looking after or
caring for the child.
It has two forms – physical and emotional/
humiliating or degrading punishment.

What is Corporal Punishment?
Hitting children with the
hand or with an implement
Kicking, shaking or throwing
objects at children,
scratching, pinching, burning,
scalding or forcing them to
ingest substances

What is Corporal Punishment?
Using power, authority or
threats to force children
to perform physically
painful or damaging acts,
e.g. holding weights for
an extended period,
kneeling on pebbles,
squatting, asking them to
stand under the heat of
the sun, etc.

What is Corporal Punishment?
Threats
Shaming
Cursing
Verbal assault
Emotional or humiliating
punishment: degrades,
belittles, humiliates,
denigrates, threatens, scares
or ridicules the child.

Why End Corporal Punishment?
Of the many forms of
violence that a majority of
children experience, corporal
punishment is the:
Most common,
Most pervasive and yet
Least reported and
Least recognised as a
form of violence. Jan Christian Chu, 7
Mandaluyong City

Why End Corporal Punishment?
It is widespread - cutting across cultures,
geography and social class…
80-98% of the world’s children experience
physical punishment in their homes, with a
third more experiencing severe physical
punishment with the use of implements. (World
Report on Violence against Children 2006)

Why End Corporal Punishment?
85% of Filipino children
said they are punished in
the home
82% said they were hit on
different parts of their
body; of this number, 65%
reported that spanking is
the most common form of
punishment they
experienced. (Save the Children
Sweden 2005)

Why End Corporal Punishment?
It is hurting children.
In the short term, corporal punishment
“…kills thousands of children each year and
injures and handicaps many more.”
“In the longer term…it [is] a significant factor
in the development of violent behavior, and it
is associated with other problems in childhood
and later life.” (WHO’s World Report on Violence and Health
2002)

Why End Corporal Punishment?
Children want it to stop.
Children all over the world say they do not want to
be hurt, and that they wish there are other ways of
disciplining them.
Filipino children say they will learn better if their
parents and teachers: (1) Talk to them in a calm and
understanding way; (2) Explain to them what they
have done wrong or how they should do things the
right way; and (3) Make them feel that they are still
loved and accepted.

Why End Corporal Punishment?
It has harmful effects on children.
It can cause serious physical and psychological harm
to children.
Injury, disability, even death
Fear, anger, anxiety
Low self-esteem
Displaced anger and aggression
Rebelliousness and resentment
Depression or intense loneliness
Weak decision-making skills and self-control

Why End Corporal Punishment?
It has harmful
effects on families
and cultures.
It damages a child’s
relationship with
his/her parents/adults.
It perpetuates a
culture of violence.

Why End Corporal
Punishment?
It violates children’s rights.
States have the obligation to fulfill the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the
Child (UNCRC).
Say NO to corporal punishment

Positive Discipline

DISCIPLINE = TEACHING
Positive discipline is part of an education
process, a way of thinking and an approach
to teaching that:
Helps children develop appropriate
thinking and behavior in the
short and long-term.
Helps children develop self-
discipline and confidence.
Guides children to be in harmony
with self and others.

Positive discipline is not…
Permissive parenting
An absence of rules,
limits or expectations
Short-term reactions or
alternative punishments
to slapping or hitting

Positive Discipline and Children’s Rights
Respect for the human
dignity and physical integrity of
children
Recognition of children’s
capacities and their right to
participate
Ensuring children’s best
interests at all times

Positive Discipline Principles
Problem-Solving
Positive & healthy Supportive learning
relationship environment
(Warmth) (Structure)
Understanding how children think and feel
Long-term goals

Planning
• Long-term goals

What kind of people do we want our
children to become?
Respectful & has
empathy for others Disciplined &
responsible
Can make wise
Goal-directed
decisions
Analytical
Able to form healthy Life-long learner
relationships Honest
Confident & has a Has faith
solid self-esteem

What can we do?
Reflect on the values and life skills we want to
teach children
Make day-to-day problem situations an occasion
for teaching these values and life skills
Model these values and life skills (respect, taking
responsibility, wisdom, handling conflict,
empathy) to children

Knowledge
•• Long-term goals
• Long-termLong-term goals
Long-termgoals
goals
Long-term goals
Long-term goals
Understanding how children think and feel
Long-term goals

Understanding How Children
Think and Feel
Children at different ages
need different kinds of
support and information.
Children’s developmental
stage and other extenal
factors affect how they
think, feel and behave.

Tools for Understanding How Children
Think and Feel
Typical development
Empathy
Observation
Listening
Specific context or
situation

Typical Development
Pre-adolescent period
Start of physical and hormonal changes at
puberty
Establishing independence
Forming opinions about parents/authority
figures and about what is going on around them

The Role of the Adult
Pre-adolescent period
• Continue building trust by listening to the child’s
stories
• Letting the child express his/her emotions and
teaching him/her how to manage these
• Show that you accept the child even if he/she
has made a mistake
• Continue to help the child see the consequences
of his/her negative action

Typical Development
Adolescence
Establishing identity
Setting long-term goals for oneself
Challenging authority
Establishing intimate relationships

The Role of the Adult
Adolescence
Respectful monitoring of activities
Engaging the adolescent in discussions about
identity, intimate relationships and risky
behaviours
Listening to and respecting the child’s opinion
Be firm and consistent about non-negotiables

Understanding Temperament
Temperament – child’s specific way of
interacting/reacting to the environment
Dimensions – activity level, regularity, response
to new situations, adaptability, distractability,
persistence, intensity
Important for parents to recognise similarities
and differences between one’s own and the
child’s temperament to be able to identify the
child’s specific needs and the appropriate
responses.

Specific context: living on the street
Lack of adult support and structure
The child becomes street smart
Experience of violence in the streets
Need to build trust
Gently reintroduce structure
Teach non-violence in conflict resolution
Redirect behaviour toward positive goals

Specific context: child abuse
Low of self-esteem
Difficulty in making friends; shyness
Aggression
Need to rebuild trust
Consistency in providing structure

Specific context: the working child
Need for support to manage the demands of
work and school that creates pressure on the
child
Need for protection: check conditions of work
Listen to the child’s stories/observe physical and
emotional changes
Respect: giving the child his/her share of
income

Specific context:
the child in conflict with the law
Rebuild trust by listening to the child’s opinions
Rebuild respect by challenging negative notions
but also recognising good ideas
Help the child understand the long-term
consequences of his/her actions on self and
others

Understanding How Children Think and Feel

Tools
Positive & healthy Supportive learning
relationship environment
(Warmth) (Structure)
Understanding how children think and feel
Long-term goals

A Positive and Healthy Relationship with
Children
Children learn best
when they feel
respected, understood,
trusted, safe and
loved.

We can demonstrate respect and empathy by…
Showing children that they are still respected and
accepted even when they do something wrong or when
they commit mistakes
Listening to them
Looking at their situation from their point of view
Laughing with them
Supporting them when they are facing challenges
Encouraging them when they have to do something
difficult
Telling them that they believe in them
Recognizing their efforts and successes
Showing them that they trust them

Creating a Supportive
Learning Environment
A supportive
environment provides
children with
appropriate
information and
guidance to facilitate
learning, decision-
making and problem
solving.

We can build a supportive learning
environment by…
Explaining the reasons for rules
Helping them find ways to fix their mistakes in a
way that helps them learn
Teaching them about the effects of their actions
on other people
Being fair and consistent
Controlling anger; manage frustration and anger
in a healthy way

Skills
Problem-Solving
Positive & healthy Supportive learning
relationship environment
(Warmth) (Structure)
Understanding how children think and feel
Long-term goals

Problem-
Problem-Solving
Remember your long-term goals
Think before you act. Transform the challenging
situation into a constructive learning event for both the
child and the teacher. Most actions that adults
oftentimes label as “misbehaviors” are but a natural
part of children’s development and should not be seen
as threats to adults’ authority. It is therefore helpful to
think ahead, anticipate problems that may arise, and
plan a response.

Positive discipline…
Is about finding long-term solutions to everyday
parenting challenges that will develop a child’s self-
discipline
Involves building mutually respectful relationships with
children, clearly communicating expectations, rules and
limits; and increasing children’s competence and
confidence to handle challenging situations
Is all about teaching life-long skills among children and
at the same time respecting their rights as human
beings.

Positive discipline…
Is about finding long-term solutions to
everyday parenting challenges that will develop
a child’s self-discipline
Involves building mutually respectful
relationships with children, clearly
communicating expectations, rules and limits;
and increasing children’s competence and
confidence to handle challenging situations
Is all about teaching life-long skills among
children and at the same time respecting their
rights as human beings.

Using positive discipline is
a process.
It will take time and needs
family support.

Let us support Anti-Corporal
Punishment Bill!
Let us END Corporal
Punishment on Children
Now!