Child abuse is one of the saddest and most tragic problems in America
             today. Many people wonder how a parent could ever abuse their child, but child abuse is becoming increasingly common in American society. It can be caused by the child's behavior, a parent's alcohol or drug abuse, or the parent's upbringing. Of these three main causes, a child's behavior can be a common one.
             Even the most rational parents have probably used physical punishment to discipline their child. It could be something as simple as a spanking or a slap across the face. Sometimes it seems that physical punishment is the only way to get a child's attention and to help them learn their lesson. If the child only responds to physical punishment, they do not leave the parents very many options to use when disciplining them. If a child is extremely ill-behaved, parents may resort to physical abuse to discipline their child, but when these discipline sessions become more severe and more regular, child abuse becomes an issue. Another common cause of child abuse is a parent's alcohol or drug use.
             It seems like something from a movie. A drunk father returns home late from the bar in a horrible mood. He begins fighting with his wife or children and looks for a way to take out his anger. Finding no other solution, he results to physically harming his child. Although people do not want to dream of ever being involved in this scenario, this is the reality of many children in America. Parents who have alcohol or drug problems will lose their inhibitions while under the influence and will be more likely to abuse their child that a sober parent would be. While under the influence of alcohol or drugs, parents also have less control over their emotions. This allows them to be enraged by even the smallest things, and if their child angers them, they will resort to abuse to punish their child. The final common cause of child abuse is the parent's upbringing.
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