Child Abuse Vs. Discipline

Child Abuse vs. Discipline

There is a definite fine line between what child abuse is and what is considered to be discipline. Child abuse can be described in many different ways based on the opinion of different people who may have different belief systems. According to federal law child abuse can be defined as "Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation"(Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect in Federal Law).

However, to be absolute that one is not causing any psychological harm to your child or children one must be aware of the psychological stages that go on throughout a child's life. These stages include the stage of trust and mistrust, autonomy and shame, initiative and guilt, industry and inferiority, and identity and confusion. Each of these stages mark a certain time in a child's psychological development that is critical in determining their outcome as they become adults. One must understand these stages in development to be successful in staying clear from abuse and knowing how to discipline a child at a certain time in their life.

The first psychological development stage in a child's life is the stage of trust and mistrust. According to Erikson's Theory this first stage is between birth and eighteen months or also known as infancy. Here a child develops a sense of trust when caregivers provide reliability, care, and affection. A lack of these things and neglect of the child may lead to mistrust and trust issues with people later on in life.

The second psychological development stage is the stage of autonomy and shame and doubt. According to the theory this stage occurs in the early childhood to two to three years; the years of toilet training. During this stage children need to develop a sense of personal control over physical skills and a sense of independence. Success leads to feelings of autonomy, so one must praise their child in some way when the child has achieved success. However, failure to do so even in times were they are unsuccessful, if one does not encourage the child this can result in feelings of shame and doubt within the child, as well as an apathetic attitude.

The third development stage is the stage of initiative and guilt. This stage occurs in the ages of three to five years. In this stage children need to begin asserting control and power over the environment in which they interact. Success in this stage leads to a sense of purpose and being proud. Children who try to exert too much power experience disapproval, resulting in a sense of guilt. The fourth stage is the stage of industry and inferiority, this stage occurs in the ages of six to eleven years. During this stage children need to cope with new social and academic demands. Success leads to a sense of competence; while failure results in feelings