In recent years, many people believe that punishment is the most advantageous teaching method for young people to behave well. Meanwhile, others contend that rewarding children can be a more effective way. From my perspective, both approaches are reasonable depending on each situation; however, I accede to the idea that incentivizing children for commendable conduct can yield superior results.
To begin with, it is discernible that some penalties can be contemplated owing to their positive influences on children’s behavior. In other words, they can serve as a deterrent for naughty children, when teaching by normal means such as explanation or reprimanda cannot be useful. This can be explained by the fact that, at an early age, children sometimes may forget and are unaware of the consequences of their actions. In these cases, punishment and the obsession with it can lay the foundation to raise consciousness and instill a sense of discipline in children. Therefore, these punishments can lead to not only good behavior in children but also develop their personalities.
However, this approach should only be considered as a stop-gap solution. To illustrate, parents need to explain to their children where they are wrong and how to deter them from being impregnated by bad habits. Hence, if adults just apply punishment without explanations, their offspring will continue their wrongdoings. Furthermore, strict punishment can also exacerbate intergenerational misunderstanding between family members, laying a foundation for the rebellious activities of children in the future. Therefore, it will hinder children’s development and maturity.
On the other hand, giving some gifts to encourage young people whenever they have good behavior may have long-lasting effects. It means that the reward will afford the children a sense of respect and motivation, so they will ramp up their efforts to fulfill their goal of receiving more presents in the future. By doing that, other wrongdoings can be diminished without any punishment. Moreover, by imitating their parents’ behavior, children can broaden their horizons about interpersonal skills, and these skills will be an indispensable part of children’s career prospects. As a result, the tendency to give rewards to children can have profound impacts on their impressionable minds, contributing to their knowledge and understanding.
In conclusion, it is undeniable that penalties can be effective in some situations, while other teaching methods are disadvantageous for children. Nevertheless, I lean more toward rewarding children for behaviors that meet standards because of its long-term influences and the essential skills instilled in children’s minds.
