Study: Harm outweighs benefits of spanking

Washington Post via Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | June 26, 2002

[sarcasm]

Spanking children can make them temporarily more compliant but causes more problems than it cures by raising the risk that children will become aggressive, antisocial and chronically defiant, according to new research.

The discipline technique is also associated with delinquency, a failure to learn right from wrong, and an increased risk that the spanking might turn into child abuse, according to the author of one of the most comprehensive examinations of the subject.

[sarcasm]

Click HERE for full article.

[Blackyce]

Whats a little a corporal punishment?? Liberals use capital punishment on their children.

[knuthom]

Gershoff said her research had not provided data that showed causative links between spanking and bad behaviors, but said everything she had studied indicated that the effects of spanking were mostly harmful.

I think she arrived at her conclusions before she started the study. Why let "data" get in her way?

[StoneColdGOP]

SMACK! I mean, uh... ping!

[.30Carbine]

Harm outweighs benefits of spanking?
Not at my house!

But then, we don't have any children...

[R. Scott]

I seems strange that when parents (and society) were allowed to punish wrong behavior we had little trouble with juvenile crime. If the parents refused to do so, society would. There used to be a lot more juvenile detention systems, and judges weren’t afraid to use them.
After about the ‘60s the juvenile prisons started disappearing and parents who spanked were jailed, many more were afraid to administer any form of punishment other than an occasional “time out”.
If these “studies” were correct, wouldn’t we have a much lower juvenile crime rate now than way back when?

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Liberals use capital punishment on their children:

..... Liberals use subversive brainwashing on their children and ours as well

[StDonTheBaptist]

Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

The Bible tells us, that if parents don't punish their children in a chastising fashion, than those parents don't consider their children as their offspring.

Proverbs 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

[Caipirabob]

Simply rubbish.

Spanking is yet another tool in child rearing along with other means of disciplining children. Spanking is a means by which the parent can associate negative consequences with poor behavior. The child can make a direct correlation between crime and punishment. It's only when parents are inconsistent in the enforcement of discipline that the child receives mixed signals. This can later become a problem as the child is justified in questioning disciplinary action as there would have been no consistent pattern of application.

The author is a mindless idiot liberal.

[Budge]

Spanking children can make them temporarily more compliant but causes more problems than it cures by raising the risk that children will become aggressive, antisocial and chronically defiant, according to new research.

More twisted politically correct BS.

[.30Carbine]

This Article definitely needs to be linked on this thread.

Even without having children of my own I can personally think of 20-some-odd examples of children and/or parents gone berserk because of a lack of spanking in appropriate measure at the appropriate time.

Which is why my husband and I practice the discipline on a regular basis. ( ;

[driftless]

When I was a kid I used to read a popular comic strip called "The Katzenjammer Kids" featuring two very mischievous twin boys named Hans and Fritz. At the conclusion of just about every strip, the two brats ended up getting spanked by their mother for their antics. I not only laughed uproariously at the two getting theirs, but like many other kids who read that strip, we knew they deserved that kind of punishment.

[azhenfud]

Would like to view Elizabeth Gershoff's child(ren)'s behavior/attitudes before rendering corporal punishment obsolete...

Az

[Thebaddog]

A little butt polishing doesn't hurt my kids. It's done to make a point and not anything other than that. This chick has an agenda and if she has kids, they're probably kept in line with chemicals.

[Skooz]

I think she arrived at her conclusions before she started the study.

That is exactly what I was going to post. My guess is that she wanted to write something in opposition to spanking, and then went through the motions of this "study" to gain credibility for her assertions.

[cuz_it_aint_their_money]

Speaking as one who became intimately familiar with "the belt" while growing up, I would prefer "the belt" to the alternate. The alternate being (that which still strikes fear into the hearts of kids all over this country) the dreaded "Just you wait until your father gets home!"

[Cagey]

I'm glad you mentioned this cartoon strip because I had completely forgotten about it. I guess there's not a chance in hell it could run again.

[LadyDoc]

Chinese proverb: Expert on children/childless woman

[alnick]

Spanking children can make them temporarily more compliant but causes more problems than it cures by raising the risk that children will become aggressive, antisocial and chronically defiant, according to new research.

Hmmmm, so why is it that past generations produced children who were well mannered, hard working, and respectable, while ever since Dr. Spock started convincing parents not to spank their children, our society has had more and more children who are aggressive, antisocial and chronically defiant?

[mlmr]

Dear Mrs. Web,

I was listening to the radio recently and heard a religious broadcast about physical punishment of children. The participants actually were talking about how to choose an appropriate device to use when spanking. The show chilled me to the bone and frankly, upset me. I do not hit my kids and I think it is wrong. What do you think?

This is a difficult subject to talk about for a number of reasons. I am going to try to address it because I am seeing more letters in my email box about the topic. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me, it is a controversial and emotional topic. Nevertheless, here is my opinion.

First, studies show that currently in the United States over 90% of the parents use corporal punishment at least occasionally.

Those who occasionally swat a bottom to get their child’s attention or make a point;

Those who have a well-thought-out disciplinary system which also includes physical punishment;

Those who unthinkingly lash out physically;

Those who beat and bludgeon helpless children, whether out of control or for their own sick twisted pleasure.

This encompasses a broad range of parent, motives, and behaviors. It is unproductive and unfair to group these different behaviors together. Parents who spank are not, for the greatest part, child abusers. Some people however, define any and all corporal punishment as abuse.

I have had a number of people tell me that no child should ever be hit, and that spanking a child is abusive. I no longer agree. In my opinion, there are many ways to abuse a child. The emotional abuse some children suffer with the unchecked and sharp tongues of their parents is large and pervasive. I am not talking about ignorant or dull parents who name-call, although they certainly guilty.

I am referring to the educated and intelligent parents who are verbally abusive and or emotional hostage-takers. Parents who wrestle control or beat their children’s souls and break their wills with crafty logical arguments, pervasive nagging, and cruel chastisements. Families where a child never measures up, or is always expected to perform flawlessly. These parents may not have laid a hand on the young one, but have caused huge pain and damage.

I have seen children who are not able to permit their hearts to really like anything, because their parents have overused consequences and revocation of privileges. They have spent too much time in parenting classes learning techniques, and not enough looking into their child’s eyes or at their spirits. Anything these children would hold dear would be held over their heads in exchange for compliance. Therefore, I am not an immediate admirer of parents who announce, "I never would hit my kids." There are many ways to "hit."

At this time, in our country, there is a great reluctance to discuss corporal punishment as a disciplinary tool. Many individuals are fearful of being labeled a "child abuser" or even losing their children to the whims of their state departments of welfare. Moreover, we have all heard of overzealous state welfare workers who have disrupted families based on erroneous information or personal prejudices.

It is unfortunate this discussion taboo is in place, given the large proportion of the parents who do use physical punishment. My opinion is that since many families do use physical punishment as part of their discipline choices, parents should learn how to use it effectively, kindly, with discernment, and appropriately. They need to learn not to react in anger. Parents need to learn how to discipline themselves when using physical consequences with their children.

Best,

Dear Mrs. Web Dear Mrs. Web Personal Advice Columns