Alternatives to spanking

BALTIMORE - Do you spank your kids? How do you feel about corporal punishment ?

We've all been there. Your kid has a meltdown, you're at your wits end and some parents will choose to spank.

For Esther Joseph, it brings back terrible memories of her childhood and her mom. Esther says, "She (her mother) believed sparing the rod spoils the child, so she would spank. She believed in spanking as discipline."

But that spanking turned into abuse. Esther tells her story in her book "Memories of Hell, Visions of Heaven."

Esther was the youngest of 8 kids. Her dad was an alcoholic, her mom was an abuser. It taught her a lesson she'll never forget.

Esther says, "Children don't walk or talk because we yell or tell them to. They do so because they watch the adults around them."

Esther believes there are good alternatives to spanking that really work.

Set a good example

The first is to set a good example everyday.

"If you want the child to be a loving, obedient child, show that child what loving obedience is."

Let the child learn a lesson

Second, if a child has to be punished, let them learn a lesson. "Let the child do good while being punished. There are elderly people in the neighborhood that you can say my child is in discipline and they're going to come around and shovel the snow or cut the grass, whatever you need for a month."

Take away a privilege

For younger kids, Esther says you can take away a privilege like watching TV or playing with their favorite toy.

Esther says some kids aren't even fazed by spanking. So oftentimes, you'll find yourself spanking your kid longer and harder when they get in trouble.