Child Discipline and Cultural Controversies

[Cassandra Woolfolk <cwoolfol@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Sharon Carnahan:

I am currently working as a Regional Training Coordinator with the Education
Partnership in Illinois.  I am employed by the University of Illinois (U-C)
School of Social Work. I am also an African-American social worker with a
private practice (25 years in mental health). 

I have given several talks to child welfare workers on cultural differences
in the past few months.  One aspect of CP in some African-American families
is the use of what I call "ritual spankings".  For instance:  1)The child is
warned about their behavior; 2) The child is sent to get the
switch/paddle/belt that they will be spanked with; 3) The child receives a
lecture about their misbehavior (My ex-husband was raised in the South.  His
lecture included how he was letting down the entire race, his mother and
grandmother); 4) The child is then spanked until they cry.  When talking to
Child Protection Investigators, I suggested that they might want to inquire
about the "process" of discipline.  It may be possible to determine whether
the spanking involved a "ritual" or was impulsive.  Many families make a
distinction between discipline and abuse.  You might ask your audience if
their families had such a ritual.

Also, there are some African-American families who have concern about less
corporal forms of punishment (especially time-out).  One saying I grew up
hearing is that "White people train their dogs but let their children run
wild."  For many African-American parents, time-out is equivalent to raising
your child like white folks do.  A very high value is placed on showing
respect for one's parents.  Encouraging a child to express their feelings,
be given choices, etc., is "too white" for some parents.  When counseling
parents I have suggested that they have not been able to demonstrate that
they are able to make the distinction between discipline and abuse (thus
their involvement with the child welfare system).  If they are acting
impulsively, leaving bruises etc., they have crossed the line between
spanking and physical abuse.  

The Illinois Inspector General's office distributed an article "Seven Deadly
Sins of Childhood:  Advising Parents About Difficult Developmental Phases by
Barton Schmitt (Child Abuse and Neglect. 1987, vol 11., pp 421-432).  He
offers a table on "Restrictions on physical punishment (if eliminating it is
impossible)".  

I hope this is helpful.

Cassandra B. Woolfolk, LCSW
Regional Training Coordinator, Education Partnership
School of Social Work
1207 West Oregon
Urbana, IL  61801
email cwoolfol@uiuc.edu