The problem

Eye injuries in children are quite common but majority of them are preventable. Children could accidentally injure their eyes while playing with their peers or as a result of home or other accidents. It could also happen while they or other people around them are being punished. We may not have much control over the former, but we certainly do in the case of the latter. In the bid to correct a child for wrong doing, carefully consider the means, intent and consequences of your action. This is because things can go south pretty quickly.

 

How things can go wrong

I was taking a nap the other evening when my slumber was cut short by cries coming from my neighbour’s house. I listened for a few seconds, trying to make out what was going on. It was Emeka, their seven-year old son. I hurried out and what I saw sent shivers down my spine. There was blood running down from Emeka’s left eye, and his mother was trying to stem it with a small towel. Apparently, Emeka had lost yet another pair of shoes that day in school. His mother, frustrated with his antics, had descended on him, intending to teach him a lesson on prudence. Unfortunately, the lesson was promptly terminated when the belt she was using to beat him mistakenly hit his left eye.

 

Corporal punishment and eye injuries in children

Corporal punishment is using physical force to inflict some degree of pain for the purpose of discipline. It is a very controversial issue especially as regards disciplining children. Children can be naughty sometimes, but that’s why they are children. The goals of discipline should be to correct, and not to humiliate a child, and to get them to reflect on their actions and the consequences. It should be proportional to the offence committed.

Corporal punishment in children may lead to very dire outcomes such as eye injuries, blindness or even death! It can also affect them psychologically as they may become more aggressive or even depressed. In essence, it may not achieve the intended result.

 

What are the alternatives?

Alternatives do exist to the use of “the rod” in disciplining children such as withdrawing privileges, detention, rewarding good behavior, setting good examples, use of dialogue and setting joint rules and boundaries, etc.

 

Last words

When next you want to punish a child by flogging or beating him, take a moment to think about it. Would you rather spare the rod or spoil the eye? That is the question!

 

#EyeInjuries #ChildEyeHealth #CorporalPunishment