Another Bad Rap For Spanking

The debate on spanking has ramped up again with the release of new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The Academy says nothing good can come of spanking; there are no benefits.

In fact, it says corporal punishment it only makes matters worse in terms of defiance and aggressiveness. In many cases, they say, the child is back to the original behaviour in a matter of minutes.

In addition, it states verbal abuse and humiliation are also counterproductive.

All of the above raising the risk of mental health issues.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Children grow and develop better with positive role modelling and by setting healthy limits[/perfectpullquote]

Better bets for discipline, the Academy suggests, are timeouts and taking away priveleges. Both give the child a chance to regulate themselves and to control and manage their own behaviour.

Consequences associated with parental corporal punishment

• corporal punishment of children younger than 18 months of age increases the likelihood of physical injury
• repeated use of corporal punishment may lead to aggressive behaviour and altercations between the parent and child and may negatively affect the parent-child relationship
• corporal punishment is associated with increased aggression in preschool and school-aged children
• experiencing corporal punishment makes it more, not less, likely that children will be defiant and aggressive in the future
• corporal punishment is associated with an increased risk of mental health disorders and cognition problems
• the risk of harsh punishment is increased when the family is experiencing stressors, such as family economic challenges, mental health problems, intimate partner violence, or substance abuse
• spanking alone is associated with adverse outcomes, and these outcomes are similar to those in children who experience physical abuse.