Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your child’s misbehavior leaves you feeling frustrated? You question how you should respond and correct your child to prevent the same mistake from happening in the future. It’s natural to want to correct our children’s behavior, but nurturing a strong connection could be more effective than focusing solely on correction. Connection is often considered more important than correction in parenting for several reasons. July/August 2024 HAWAII PARENT 103 Connection refers to building a strong relationship with your child based on trust, respect, and empathy. Correction, on the other hand, involves using consequences or punishment to address misbehavior. According to a 2008 report on Physical Punishment in the United States, “What Research Tells Us About Its Effects on Children’s Discipline,” physical punishment places children at risk for a range of detrimental behavioral, mental health, and cognitive outcomes, as well as for physical injury. Additionally, “physical punishment - spanking, specifically - is ineffective at improving children’s behavior and, in fact, leads to a worsening of it over time.” Many children may behave out of fear and then eventually build resentment. Lecturing, scolding, and spanking share some common negative aspects when it comes to discipline and communication with children. Parents not only disconnect from their children but correct-
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