Final Writting Project

Maria Alarcon Avilez
Emily Miller
ENG 091
Dec. 10, 2011

Mirror Image of Them

I like countless others feel that parents shouldn't harm their children either physically or emotionally by any means. Many parents do it to "discipline" them or to "punish" them for their mistakes. But, that is no way to treat a child even if they do something wrong. Parental behavior like this can alter a child in so many different ways without the parents even knowing. It can harm the kids psychologically, make them more aggressive and will grow hatred towards the person harming them. Included are also the medical problems.
Undoubtedly kids can be psychologically effected. Kids might start to view things from a different perspective and are not the same as before. Their behavior and attitude can rapidly change for bad than for good. Kids may not be as socially active in school or with their friends. They might even become depressed and those are signs of them being emotional and mentally harmed. Their self-esteem may also be at an all time low during these "punishments". Some examples of how a child can be harmed is when they are isolated, terrorized or neglected. In numerous homes children are rejected and not paid any attention when they need it. Their necessities are not tended to and parents just put them aside instead of dealing with the child’s problems. Besides that kids are also terrorized by their parents and are to scared to speak up or do something about the situation. In some cases parents threat to harm them even further if they speak of what really happens to them. This causes the poor children to feel neglected and are deprived of their parents love and care.
Another reason why parents shouldn't hurt their children is it will make the child more aggressive. It can lead the child to be more aggressive towards everyone around them. Like their classmates and teachers or elders. Soon they won't have respect for anyone around them. They might start to get into more turmoil at school for trying to hurt or act in a violent manner towards other children. Following this further, when they throw a tantrum they most likely will act in a higher level of aggressive by trying to hit the parents or throw anything and everything that comes into sight. If parents are aggressive the child is going to mimic every move or speech they make because parents are supposed to be role models and set the good examples for them to follow. Kids are always wanting to do what their ,"mommy or daddy" does and they want to be just like them. Kids minds are so naïve that they are sometimes not capable of distinguishing right from wrong. So if they see parents doing actions like these they will think it‘s okay for them to do it also. Unfortunately, if parents don't behave how they should, neither will the children.
Also, if parents harm children the child will start to grow an immense hatred towards the parent. They will feel hate for the person that is doing this to them. Many store the hate up and slowly reveal it and other it’s just seeping through them. Slowly they will begin to demonstrate the gradual, growing hate within them. Resentment will also begin to build up and a difference in the child will be noticeable quickly. The child will try to distance themselves from the parent that hits them the most or will openly let out their feelings and others just store it all up and try to not put it to use. Some kids rebel, like talking back and be just plain rude to show they don’t care about them.
Along with all of these bad consequences and parental neglect come medical problems. Soon bruises and scars will appear all over the child or a sudden change in personality and attitude which indicates that the parent is now not just, "punishing or disciplining" their child but full out hurting their child. This indicates that the parent or guardian has just gotten out of hand and went way too far. Each year many abused children have to go to the hospital because of injuries inflicted on them during punishment. Or have to receive counseling for their traumatizing experiences. Sadly a multitude of the children don't make it out because many of their extreme injuries are fatal. As a result other children have to live with the life -long difficulties, like being insecure or safe or having to deal with their aggressiveness, for the rest of their lives.
All in all, the people many innocent kids used to look up to as a role model will look nothing but abusive people to them. Harming kids will bring life long consequences and life changing situations into the family. The effects of such as the medical, psychological, aggressive and hatred problems can follow them the rest of their life and will play a paramount role in the course of life they chose to take, which is either their parents’ way or their own. [ Word Count 852]