Public Shaming Is An Ineffective Means Of Discipline

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Sometime during the last decade, a troubling parenting trend began to gain traction: public humiliation on social media. Public shaming has always been a tool in the discipline repertoire of some parents; however, with the increasing popularity of social media came a surge of parents making the discipline of their children available for public consumption. We have all witnessed images and videos of parents scolding their children for some kind of offense or forcing them to hold signs that bear messages such as “I’m a liar” or “I stole.” While some praise these efforts and consider them to be “creative parenting,” child psychologists often urge parents to find another way.  Aside from its potential to wreak havoc on a child’s self-esteem and destroy the trust that naturally exists within a healthy parent-child relationship, here are 8 more reasons why public shaming is an effective form of discipline.

It calls your motives into question

Any time I see a parent take to social media with images, footage, or posts in which they use public shame as a means of disciplining their kids, I often question their motives. Is the ultimate goal to discipline the child or to impress and gain the respect of other adults? Are you trying to teach your child a lesson or satisfy your insatiable need to publicize your life? The lines are easily blurred.