Self-discipline is a virtue that helps children to develop into responsible adults. It helps a child to fit into society by ensuring effective social interaction with other members of the community. I was brought up in a cultural setup where parents were tasked with the moral responsibility to instil discipline in children. The parenting style was not only strict but also harsh at times to ensure children transformed into responsible adults.
My parents used various disciplinary techniques such as punishment to instil discipline in me. For instance, my parents would often punish me if I failed to do my duties, such as cleaning my room. I would be denied access to my favorite video game for a couple of days as punishment for my mistakes. Also, children were expected to address their elders with respect, and my parents would scold me if I failed to maintain this moral standard. These child-rearing beliefs and values from my culture about discipline are similar to those in Chinese culture.
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In Chinese culture, parenting styles are characterized by strict discipline. Parents have specific expectations of how their children should behave. The parents are lenient on young children and infants, but this leniency regresses once the child attains the age of understanding (Fung, 1999). The parents then adopt strict disciplinary measures such as shaming, scolding and physical punishment to instil discipline in their children (Fung, 1999). These techniques are used to ensure the child develops the moral training that is essential to become a socially acceptable individual.
Chinese parents also encourage their children to respect the elder members of society. Polite titles such as Auntie are often used when addressing the elders (Fung, 1999). Parents feel proud when their children show high standards of moral education in front of other people. Love with discipline is what most Chinese parents use to ensure moral discipline in their children.
Different cultures use various approaches in instilling discipline in children. In some cultures, disciplinary techniques such as physical punishment are considered to be child abuse. In other cultures, such as in the Eastern and African cultures, punishment is morally acceptable to instil discipline in children. The approach to disciplinary issues portrayed by a child determines the outcomes in adulthood (Dadds, & Tully, 2019). Inadequate moral and self-discipline in adults can be attributed to lenient disciplinary measures that parents used in the past. Where disciplined is upheld, children are more likely to become morally responsible adults.
References
Dadds, M. R., & Tully, L. A. (2019). What is it to discipline a child: What should it be? A reanalysis of time-out from the perspective of child mental health, attachment, and trauma. American Psychologist.
Fung, H. (1999). Becoming a moral child: The socialization of shame among young Chinese children. Ethos, 27(2), 180-209.
