Corporal Punishment

[untateve]

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/stud...ory?id=10332882

 

Spanking toddlers makes for more aggressive kindergartners, according to a new study from Tulane University in New Orleans.

Research finds spanking has long-term negative effects on children's behavior.

 

While organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center for Effective Discipline staunchly advocate against corporal punishment, many parents continue to turn to the rod when disciplining their children.

 

In a 2005 online poll, 72 percent of adults reported that it was "OK to spank a child." Various studies in recent years found the prevalence of corporal punishment varied widely, from 35 percent of parents to 90 percent, authors of the Tulane study note.

 

In the new study, published Monday in the journal Pediatrics, researchers found that of 2,500 mothers surveyed across the country, 46 percent reported no spanking in the last month, 28 percent said they spanked one to two times, and 26 percent reported spanking more than twice.

 

Three-year-old children of mothers who used spanking more frequently were significantly more likely to have aggressive kids later on down the road, the Tulane researchers found.

 

Even when controlling for other factors that affect child aggression by age five, such as parental neglect, maternal depression and stress, and the child's aggressive tendencies as a toddler, researchers found that maternal aggression begets childhood aggression. Toddlers who are spanked were more likely to grow into kindergarteners that bully, hit, and were destructive and disobedient.

 

While several studies have found a correlation between physical punishment and childhood aggression, by controlling for confounding variables, the study's methods provide "very significant" results and offer strong evidence for a causal link between the two, says Jay Reeve, chief executive officer at Apalachee Center, Inc., a family-targeted mental health center in Tallahassee, Fla.

 

These findings offer empirical evidence of what many psychologists already suspect, notes Edward Christophersen, clinical pediatric psychologist at Children's Mercy Hospital and Clinics in Kansas City, Mo.

 

"Children imitate behavior that their parents model for them. If both parents use spanking as a means of controlling their children, then their children are much more likely to use physical force with playmates and siblings."

 

Rahil Briggs, a child psychologist and assistant professor of pediatrics at New York's Albert Einstein College of Medicine, echoes this sentiment. Children "spend much of their early years looking to their caregivers for signals," she says.

 

"If you want to teach your child to say, 'Thank you,' then say it, in front of your child, whenever appropriate. Conversely, if you want to teach your child to hit, then hit your child as a regular form of discipline."

 

The Lessons of Violence

 

Though many child organizations now take an anti-spanking position, spanking and other forms of physical discipline still play a role in the upbringing of many American children -- even if a parent does not use corporal punishment in the home.

 

Twenty states still allow the practice in their public schools and according to statistics from the Center for Effective Discipline, 223,190 public school students were hit in 2008 as a form of discipline. So-called "spanking bans" for schools have been a contentious issue, especially among southern states.

 

While it may stop poor behavior in the short term, notes Alan Kazdin, a professor of psychology and child psychiatry at Yale University's Child Study Center, physical discipline, whether wielded by a parent or another authority figure, "fails to teach correct behavior in the long run."

Related

 

What's more, research tells us that moderate to heavy corporal punishment also brings with it several negative side effects, such as increased aggression, poor academic achievement, poor parent-child relations, and increased likelihood of mental health problems, Kazdin says.

 

Kazdin has seen the direct connection between parental violence and childhood aggression at his clinic.

 

"When one trains parents to stop using corporal punishment and use other techniques, child aggression decreases," he says. "We've seen that for 30 years."

 

Moreover, other forms of punishment can offer an opportunity for growth, Briggs says.

 

"I encourage parents to consider discipline as an opportunity for education -- to teach your child impulse control, understanding of cause and effect, and effective ways to manage difficult situations," she says.

 

"Thus, while the very occasional spank may be appropriate, I strongly suggest other methods."

 

Surprising results. Who would have thought that spanking one's children would teach them to utilize physical aggression when interacting with their peers?

[skylive5]

"Spare the rod, spoil the child" .....

[dmarc117]

a child should realize that you arent his peer. you are his/her parent, not their friend.

[untateve]

a child should realize that you arent his peer. you are his/her parent, not their friend.

 

However, it has long been established that children will emulate their parents and learn from their actions. What you believe a child "should" realize and how a child actually puts his learning into practice would appear to be two separate issues.

[Caveman_Nick]

a child should realize that you arent his peer. you are his/her parent, not their friend.

 

 

I am not so sure that a child "should" realize anything of the sort. That's a distinction the parent needs to make clear.

 

I think another point to look at is that parents often spank a child in anger. Perhaps what a child learns is that an appropriate reaction to anger is to hit.

 

Full Disclosure: I am not against spanking and think that it is a parent's choice to engage in that practice or not.

[Perchoutofwater]

This might explain why my daughter is such a good little soccer player. She 8 now and very aggressive. She actually got called for throwing what I would call a forearm shiver into a girls back during a game on Saturday. Is it wrong of me to be proud of her for that?

 

ETA: I've probably spanked my 11 Y.O. daughter a total of 3 times in her life. I've probably spanked my 8 Y.O. daughter 6 times.

Edited April 12, 2010 by Perchoutofwater

[dmarc117]

However, it has long been established that children will emulate their parents and learn from their actions. What you believe a child "should" realize and how a child actually puts his learning into practice would appear to be two separate issues.

 

 

agreed. i just see too many parents doing nothing to stop bad behavior.

[dmarc117]

This might explain why my daughter is such a good little soccer player. She 8 now and very aggressive. She actually got called for throwing what I would call a forearm shiver into a girls back during a game on Saturday. Is it wrong of me to be proud of her for that?

 

i am all for having my kid stand up for/protect himself. if that means getting physical, so be it. to be the instigator, not so much.

Edited April 12, 2010 by dmarc117

[untateve]

agreed. i just see too many parents doing nothing to stop bad behavior.

 

And I would agree with this. Moreover, when parents do nothing to discipline a child they are sending the message that they do not care about what the child does. Underlying that point, at it's extreme, is that the parent does not care about the child.

 

I simply disagree with the use of corporal punishment as a method of discipline.

[dmarc117]

And I would agree with this. Moreover, when parents do nothing to discipline a child they are sending the message that they do not care about what the child does. Underlying that point, at it's extreme, is that the parent does not care about the child.

 

I simply disagree with the use of corporal punishment as a method of discipline.

 

 

can i discipline other peoples kids???

[untateve]

This might explain why my daughter is such a good little soccer player. She 8 now and very aggressive. She actually got called for throwing what I would call a forearm shiver into a girls back during a game on Saturday. Is it wrong of me to be proud of her for that?

 

ETA: I've probably spanked my 11 Y.O. daughter a total of 3 times in her life. I've probably spanked my 8 Y.O. daughter 6 times.

 

It is not for me to judge what you should and should not be proud of. If it makes you proud to see your daughter forearm another girl in the back while playing soccer, so be it. As a coach, I would immediately pull a player who forearmed another in the back. I guess we differ a bit on this point.

[driveby]

blah, blah, blah.

 

I spanked my son probably 3 times in his life. I cried more at the time than he did.

 

He got the message though and he's never been in any trouble or caused us 1 minute of grief.

 

Depends on the parents. Parents who beat the hell out of their kids because they're just bad parents should be euthanized.

[untateve]

blah, blah, blah.

 

I spanked my son probably 3 times in his life. I cried more at the time than he did.

 

He got the message though and he's never been in any trouble or caused us 1 minute of grief.

 

Depends on the parents. Parents who beat the hell out of their kids because they're just bad parents should be euthanized.

 

I cannot argue with anecdotal evidence.

[Perchoutofwater]

It is not for me to judge what you should and should not be proud of. If it makes you proud to see your daughter forearm another girl in the back while playing soccer, so be it. As a coach, I would immediately pull a player who forearmed another in the back. I guess we differ a bit on this point.

 

The girl had it coming. If my daughter just up and did it unprovoked I'd have a problem with it too. The kid kept pushing my daughter as they were jockeying for position on throw ins and corner kicks. My kid kept looking at the home town ref who wasn't calling anything against the vastly outmatched home team, so my kid finally had enough and leveled the other kid.

[untateve]

The girl had it coming. If my daughter just up and did it unprovoked I'd have a problem with it too. The kid kept pushing my daughter as they were jockeying for position on throw ins and corner kicks. My kid kept looking at the home town ref who wasn't calling anything against the vastly outmatched home team, so my kid finally had enough and leveled the other kid.

 

This exemplifies why it is important to provide the entire story.

[matt770]

I spank my wife and it definitely makes her more aggressive for a little while. Afterwards though, all smiles.

[SEC=UGA]

I would encourage corporal punishment in certain circumstances and other forms of punishment for other infractions. Corporal punishment is reserved for times when the child deprives anohter of their property, harms another person or animal or destroys another's property. When a child acts out verbally or disobeys the parent in a manner that does not affect another person adversely in the manners outlined above then no corporal punishment should be administered.

 

For example, if my child talks back to me or is noisy in public, the child will be met with a reprimand that does not include corporal punishment. If that child decides to get on the lawn mower and mow over my flower bed, a form of punishment outside of corporal punishment will be enforced. But, say that child tells another adult to "go when I wore my first dress themselves", ass whippin. Say the child takes my lawn mower and mows the neighbors flower bed, ass whippin. Say the child shoplifts a case of beer and a carton of smokes from Publix, ass whippin (unless he/she gives me my cut.)

 

I can let certain things go that my child does to me or my property (meaning I'm not gonna pop the poopy outta my child for back talk, maybe a long lecture and loss of certain rights will ensue), its family, we can work it out. But, when my child starts messing with other peoples poopy, BIG PROBLEM....

[Savage Beatings]

Sounds like Corporal Punishment takes orders from General Malaise.

[cliaz]

"Spare the rod, spoil the child" .....

 

 

My wife and I disagree on the topic of spankings. My stepfather is about as old school as they get when it comes to punishments. We used to have to pick out our own switches, at one point we had a leather razor strap hanging in the kitchen to remind us of what could happen if we didn't fly straight, my elementary school (Lothian Elementary) still had corporal punishment for students until my 4th grade year.

 

My wife went to a private Lutheran School where her father was the principle. They have a paddle (not anymore) and she (and her brothers) all had run ins with the paddle.

 

She is completely against any type of spankings whereas I believe it has a place. It is just like anything else in life, in excess it can be a horrible tool.

 

This whole softening up and PCing up everything in our country is simply lame. Don't keep score with pee wee sports, don't give out grades because those who fail may get a complex, etc, etc.

 

I say, spank if you believe that is right for your family.

I say, keep score in games so the winners know who they are and the losers know who they are.

I say, put big red letter grades on all graded papers so they know exactly what they earned.

 

Spare the rod, spoil the child +1

[untateve]

Spare the rod, spoil the child +1

 

I've never hit my children. Ever. I could provide you my own anecdotal evidence that could easily demonstrate that my children are far from spoiled. Actually, I've been told by both of my children that I am the "harshest" dad around when compared to all their friends' dads.

[untateve]

I can also count on 1 hand how many times I've spanked my kiddos, I use a wooden spoon and take them to the bathroom and tell them why first. The older one mostly responds to toy time-out more than anything, but toddler girl gets the msg loud and clear if she herself goes to time out. If any of you on my facebook, check out a picture of her in timeout...she's wearing a frown, but she's sooo pretty anyway! Yeah you can't just start wailing on them, you have to be calm and cool. Sometimes I give myself a timeout before I react

 

I would hesitate to state out loud that I use a wooden spoon to spank my children. Whether you agree with spanking or not, legally (at least in Florida) using an object to spank can be construed as physical abuse. And I am a mandated reporter.

[Scooby]

yikes!

[Perchoutofwater]

yikes!

 

Don't worry Scooby here it normal. My SIL does it all the time. Hell I remember my mom swatting me with anything she could get her hands on, including the flat side of a butcher knife.

[untateve]

Don't worry Scooby here it normal. My SIL does it all the time. Hell I remember my mom swatting me with anything she could get her hands on, including the flat side of a butcher knife.

 

From the website of the attorney general of texas

 

http://www.oag.state.tx.us/AG_Publications...ildabuse1.shtml

 

A. Recognizing Physical Abuse

 

Physical abuse typically occurs when a frustrated parent or caregiver strikes, shakes, or throws a child because of anger. Other forms of deliberate assault that may be physically abusive include burning, scalding,biting, kicking, cutting, poking, twisting a child’s limbs, deliberately withholding food, binding, gagging, choking, or hitting the child with a closed fist or other instrument. Any form of corporal punishment may be abusive if it results in injury.

 

It is also important to remember that mandated reporters MUST report suspected abuse. Is it unlikely that you'd be reported? Certainly. Is it possible that someone who is zealous might report you for spanking your children with a wooden spoon? Certainly. Of course, if you were to be reported, just tell Family Services that Perch said it was okay.

[SEC=UGA]

thanks for info, my boy has been on the receiving end of agression at school, never the aggressor. You couldn't ask for a better home for my 2, they are loved hugged & kissed all day, I just walk by them and give them a peck on the cheek and tell them I love them. We are church goers and I have never left marks or physically injured my kids. They are happy and well-adjusted kiddos, the love of my life.

 

Nice cover. BTW, when you need the bloody spoon back, I hid it under my front porch, I don't think the cops can find it there.