For purposes of effective child-rearing, most psychologists favor the use of reinforcement over punishment.
When helping a child learn/develop, it is important to make sure the guidelines you're following and allowing behavior wise are best for you and the child. Most reinforce positive behavior with signs of gratitude and in contrast, will reinforce strict rules and understanding when in trouble. When you punish a child, they typically aren't learning a lesson, just getting in trouble.
