For years I have been belaboring a point that some adults refuse to accept: any kind of physical discipline of children is a form of abuse. Worse, what starts out as “harmless” spanking escalates over time into serious emotional and physical injury to the child.
Now a new study of toddlers shows that even spanking kids at that early age can have long-lasting consequences. According to CNN, the study from the Journal of Child Development shows —
Children who were spanked as 1-year-olds tended to behave more aggressively at age 2, and did not perform as well as other children on a test measuring thinking skills at age 3. . . . Spanking, moreover, reinforces negative memories in the child’s mind. Parents should aim instead to build “prominent, happy memories” of childhood for their kids.
The study also concludes that parents who spank are more likely to be younger, less educated, single, and/or depressed and stressed.
Susan Newman, social psychologist and author of “Little Things Long Remembered: Making Your Children Feel Special Every Day,” said parents should discourage bad behaviors by taking away privileges such as dessert, or setting an earlier bedtime. Newman believes that children are too young to understand when parenting behavior is wrong, even at the level of abuse.
Physical violence, Newman says, gets passed down in families because the only parenting skills people know are the behaviors that they saw at home. So, if you want your children to abuse their children, keep hitting them. Your grandchildren will thank you for it!
RT said:
Some adults refuse to accept your point? Aren’t WE self important. Spanking can take two forms, disciplinary and abusive. One is given with love and explenation and the other is based in anger or stress. One is a calculated last resort and the other is an inconsiderate reaction. Give me a break. I guess I’m just one of those adults that haven’t evolved to your level of all knowing power. By the way, I have four children that at some point in their lives have been spanked. I will gladly match their abilities, social skills, I.Q., and their feelings of being loved agaist your children. However, I’m going to take a shot in the dark and guess that you don’t have any children. Good luck getting the rest of those adults to conform to your way of thinking.
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Michał said:
Correction: My post wasn’t deleted, it hadn’t appeared at the time of my reply.
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Frank Marafiote said:
RT, a little defensive, aren’t you?
There is no such thing as “loving” physical abuse, unless you are some sort of SM freak who equates pain with love.
See a therapist.
And, yes, I did raise a child who was never spanked or physically disciplined in any way. She ended up being her class valedictorian and went to the most selective liberal arts college in the U.S. She’s a great person and now shows the same non-violent care for her own child.
Love works.
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Ken said:
I am Ken 9 years old. My Dad left my Mom because she got pregnant by another man. My Dad brought me with him to live with my stepmom.My Dad has no job. My stepmom sends me to school, feed me, clothe me, buys all my needs. She also disciplines me.
I can’t play. I can’t watch tv. I need to have high grades in school. I need to have perfect skin, perfect teeth and perfect manners. I am scolded by my teacher at school for being talkative. I love talking to my friends about things I want to have. I forget things. Important things. I lose pencils. I am worthless. My Dad used to call me “human trash”, “son of a bi__h”. My Mom is ugly and did not finish school. I hate her.
My stepmom disciplines me whenever I do bad things. I am afraid to tell the truth because I am going to get disciplined.
Whip my behind with a belt’s buckle.
Cover my mouth and nose to stop me from breathing for 15 to 20 seconds.
Put my hands on a kettle with water boiling in it.
Make me eat and swallow boiling soup.
Consume 3 tall glasses of black coffee without sugar nor cream to make me stay awake all night.
Make me sleep on the cement floor without clothes on.
Break my fingers.
Box my ears repeatedly.
Spray alcohol or cologne or perfume in my eyes.
Submerge my head in a pail of water.
Bite me all over my body.
Make me go round and round in circles until I fall from being dizzy.
I eat fruits with worms already in it.
I eat dog food.
I lick the toilet bowl to clean it.
When I vomit because of force feeding, I eat my vomit and clean the floor with my mouth.
I do push ups until I faint with exhaustion.
I ran away – twice. I came right back. Maybe when I am good, she will love me like her own. There are moments she loves me, buys me toys and food. I love her more than anything in the world.
If I could only have a new face so I would not remind her of my ugly Mom, just maybe, she will love me.
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alexis said:
ok Rake morgan. Why dont you see a therapist every GOOD parent spakes ther echild and if you dont then your just a push over!! Your telling me you never laid a and on your daughter? yea right!
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Erica said:
“… every good parent spanks their child…”
Wow.
How does one respond to such a brainwashed, brain-dead, cold-hearted, cruel…I think I’m going to be sick. If the likes of you are what children are up against…
Reading this just breaks my heart, makes me feel completely depressed. I don’t know what else to say.
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