Durrant- outcomes of punishment

If they only learn through punishment, what we know from many, many studies of punishment is that when the punisher isn’t present, there’s no motivation for the child to inhibit the response. So if we only teach through punishment, then the child learns if mom’s not there, I can get away with it.  

Through positive discipline, through teaching and mentoring the child understands why it’s important. So they’re much more likely to make the right decision when we’re not there, because they have internalized that knowledge and understanding. So they’re much more able to stand up for themselves, to stand on their own two feet, to say no I’m not going to engage in that because I understand why this is important.  

Whereas the child who’s been taught through punishment is more likely to say well, nobody’s here to punish me, so I’ll do that. Resistance to temptation is much lower in children who’ve been taught through punishment than it is among children who’ve been taught through positive discipline, because those children have not acquired the skills, the knowledge, the ability to express, to communicate why. Whereas the child who’s learned through positive discipline can say I’m not going to do that, because I know why, because this is why it’s important.