Skip to main content

Top 10 Reasons Why Punishment is Ineffective

compiled by Rick Lavoie, with permission from the author, edited by Deb Fjeld

  1. They have been punished enough.

    2. By the time a child enters school and is exhibiting difficult behaviors, parents and other concerned adults have tried every punishment you can think of. Inevitably, the punishments have increased in severity and longevity and anything you do may not have your desired effect.

  2. Punishment only represses the behavior, it does not eliminate it.

    If you punish Bobby for pushing Joey on the playground, the punishment will only insure that Bobby will not push Joey on the playground, but look out in the lunchroom!

  3. Punishment doesn’t model the desired behavior

    For our children who have learning disabilities, knowing the “right“ thing to do is not always understood. This is somewhat like spending the day teaching Bobby that 5+5 does not equal 11.

  4. Punishment models aggression and use/abuse of power.
  5. The “message” gets lost in the fear, anxiety, stress and anger.

    Getting a punishment creates stress, anger and fear. These are strong emotions that very often blot out the “message“ that was intended for the child.

  6. The child associates the punishment with the Punisher, not with what they did wrong.

    How many times has a child come home to tell you that Mrs. Jones did this and that. When the child is asked what he did to deserve the punishment, many times he cannot tell you why.

  7. Punishment doesn’t generalize to other settings.

    If you give a child a punishment for running off your driveway and into the street, they may never again run off your driveway into the street, but they may run into the street at Grandma‘s house.

  8. Punishment only as long the threat of punishment exists.

    How many times have you slowed down near the local speed trap, only to speed through when the squad car is not there?

  9. Child loses the ability to control/monitor/evaluate her own behavior.

    A child who is punished often loses the ability to evaluate their own behavior and begin to look to you for that regulation. Were you good today, asks mom. The child looks to the teacher to find out.

  10. Punishment only works if there is a degree of motivation to please the punisher.

    If a child has a poor relationship with a teacher, the punishment will not be as effective.

For more information about Rick Lavoie, please visit his website, www.Ricklavoie.com