Still in existence today, the intentional use of force on a child that progressed from the 19th century causing damaging effects is known as child abuse. Child abuse is a form of neglect and anything that threatens a child's physical or emotional state of being. Today the 19th century discipline methods have been shown to be damaging to a child.

The disciplinary actions in the 19th century were not the same as todays. Children would be beaten and tortured in many abnormal and cruel ways. Parents would do anything necessary for their children to grow up to be the way they wanted them to be. Parents would initiate disciplinary actions to maintain order in the house and to have the children do as told. The most common method for punishment was child-rearing. Child-rearing was so common in most families that it became a habit. "For most families in...