Do you think this study on the supposed benefits of smacking children will encourage such behavior?

The world is full of bad advice, and the academic world is even more full of shit studies.

@pdworkin Hear, hear!

That makes no sense at all. Anyone who believes this crap is just looking for an excuse to hit their child because they don’t have the mental capacity to deal with them otherwise. Idiots.

I got smacked at every possible opportunity. All it really proved is that smacking doesn’t cure autism.

I was spanked (reasonably, predictably, and for cause) as a child, and I raised my kids more or less the same way (but with less). I’m okay; they’re okay. So I’m not going to say that spanking (the way it was done to me, or the way I’ve done it) is any form of “child abuse”.

But the main fault I find with this article is that nowhere does it adequately define what “smacking” is, when or how it’s done, any quantitative or qualitative measure, or for what reasons. So I’m not going to sign off on any “study” that omits such vital information. And that word “smacking” just raises hackles; that covers a lot more ground than “a swat on the fanny”.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land I hope you meant for that comment to get a laugh. I laughed, even if it was inappropriate.

@CyanoticWasp Actually I was serious, but even I laugh at it today. Fifty years ago nobody knew any better.

Smacking a child does nothing positive for them. The only thing it can do is destroy their confidence and self-esteem. Smacking a child until they are bruised is not “discipline” it’s child abuse.

Anyone who says their child is now disciplined from smacking, yeah they’re probably scared shitless and too afraid to do anything wrong, that’s why. It’s negative reinforcement, which is entirely wrong.

For those people who say suck it up or it prepares them for the real world, sorry but that’s bull. There’s no excuse to use physical violence in any situation apart from self-defence.

The danger of this study is that some people aren’t able to differentiate what is “acceptable smacking” and what is “abuse”, and argue that their “abuse” is acceptable. I am of the belief that a disciplined child is a better child, but my brand of disciplining doesn’t involve smacks, but a good fearful lecture flavored with threats (lol) and taking away privileges. I also employ the method a lot of Chinese and Japanese parents use on their kids——love the child a lot, then use guilt and make him/her feel bad of hurting your feelings, and implying that you will disown them if the misbehavior continues.

Consistency and fairness are the keys. This study might give the abusers a reason to smack their kids really hard, and since they are irresponsible to begin with, see logic in their actions.

All I know for sure is that I missed the smacking window in my kids’ lives without laying a hand on any one of them. I guess they are not destined for greatness after all – and it is all my fault! Why did I listen to Brazelton, Sears, Leach, my pediatrician, and my own conscience! Honestly, I am not buying what that study is selling.

I’ve read it all now!!! What a ridicules article, a bunch of malarky.

Here are some problems with this study. First of all, I didn’t see a definition of “smacking” which could be a little tap or a bash on the face—we don’t know. The variable that makes up this study is faulty. The second big problem with this study is that it seems to depend on people remembering if they were hit, and how and when—how dependable is that?. Thirdly, even the results of this study are negative about “smacking” if you read what the results show. Those children “smacked” between (their memory) ages between 2 and 6, were not damaged. But the results of older children were not good if they remembered being hit from seven up.

Unfortunately, the headlines, and lack of critical reading of the “study” will give people the idea that “smacking” is fine. Too bad. It’s not. Penelope Leache is completely correct.

Here’s what the study said:

“Teenagers who had been smacked only when they were aged two to six performed slightly better on almost every positive measure and no worse on the negative measures than those who had never been smacked.

“The results were less clear for a separate group of teenagers who had been smacked until they were slightly older — aged seven to 11. They fared slightly worse on negative behaviour scores — they reported being involved in more fights, for example — but were also likely to be more academically successful than those who had not been smacked.

“Teenagers who were still being smacked, however, scored significantly worse than every group on all the measures. Gunnoe found little difference in the results between boys and girls and between racial groups.”

Oh god, I hope my mother doesn’t read that “study”. She constantly tells me to hit my two year old, and I think it’s outrageous.

I was smacked when I was a kid, with an open hand on the bum. My parents did it when we did something dangerous or really naughty. I’m fine, and don’t think that there’s anything wrong with the odd smack.

My partner is a primary school teacher at a school in a wealthy suburb in Melbourne’s CBD. The kids he works with are often naughty, spoiled and have little regard for the feelings of others. Perhaps the odd smack for these kids from their parents would have made them more respectful and well mannered.

I have raised four children without any physical punishment whatsoever, and they have always been polite, well-behaved, charming people.

When my parents smacked me I smacked them back. Hard. My brother on the other hand used his words and negotiated with them. Now he makes twice as much as I do. Violence doesn’t solve much kids.

I have spanked my children just a few times, never “smacked” them. They are, and have always been, polite well-behaved, intelligent, charming people.

just sayin’

telling someone it is unlawful to smack your child is madness, certainly in a society that force feeds it’s children with violent images and hyperactivity inducing food stuffs, it’s so wrong, if people can’t be entrusted to physically chastise their children, then the government is treating the Parents like children, it’s weird, it’s confusing and it’s unnatural.

I Take these studies with a pinch of salt. Let’s be honest there are plenty of “studies” for and against almost everything we say or do, the only thing these studies tend to do is make the people who have always believed what one particular study says able to say “I told you so” until another study comes out with a differing opinion enabling another group of people to turn around to the first group and say “I told you so” back.

That’s all I am going to say about this study because I would rather not get into yet another debate about whether smaking children for discipline is acceptable.

@mammal our society should do none of those things – just because it force feeds violence and hyperactivity does not mean there should be more things wrong like smacking.

These correlations they draw between hitting children and whether the children behave better, or are smarter, or whatever the study is evaluating seems, to be all bullshit to me. There was a study that children who are hit have lower IQ’s. My guess is the people who hit have lower IQ’s and so their children have lower IQ’s whether they are hit or not. Even if everything is equal, why would you want to physically hit ANYONE? Except in the case of self defense? It seems obvious that many many people raise beautiful well behaved children without hitting them, so if it can be done that way, why opt for the violent way? Why not learn how the non-violent parents do it and stop trying to justify hitting a child? I don’t see how anyone can argue for it, except in very extreme circumstances.

Most children who were hit do not remember what they did, just the hit, so it does not curb behavior long term.

I don’t believe that it will encourage such behavior, just give parents who already believe it is ok “ammo” for their belief.

Most people already have their minds made up on what they believe is ok or not when it comes to “smacking” children.

Personal stance, ridiculous article. “smacking children” is never necessary.

I hate smacking children. I tell mine to chew with their mouth closed.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir smacking isn’t wrong, it just is my love, but smacking as a means to enhance academic ability, as a ploy to change the attitude of middle class parents, who seem adverse to properly disciplining their rather obnoxious children, but can’t help but want their offspring to outstrip the competition, (academically) is decidedly wrong.

@mammal no, smacking isn’t just there – someone’s got to pick up their hand and use it. Unless you meant sexually – then, if consensual, it’s not wrong…but even in that situation it isn’t just there.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir that is right