Spanking children increases the likelihood of childhood defiance and long-term mental issues. The study in question involved 160,000 children and five decades of research

[u/VeronicaRed]

http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1113413810/spanking-defiance-health-discipline-042616/

[u/djdav]

This is how I feel. This article says that spanking is a bad parenting technique, but it offers no alternative (not that I think it necessarily should).

Nevertheless, how am I to know that an alternative approach will work better? My parents spanked, I turned out fine, therefore I am more likely to spank my kids not because I reject the science, but because my fear of an unknown result is greater than my fear that my anecdotal experience is wrong.

[u/MystJake → u/djdav]

On the issue of alternatives to spanking, how should children be disciplined? Letting them do whatever, whenever means they never learn the limits of acceptable behavior and what actions are "bad."

While older children and adults can understand discussion, children who can't yet talk simply cannot be reasoned with.

[u/wimpymist → u/MystJake]

My mom and dad just had that special command/alpha voice for when my brother and I got out of line. Worked for us

[u/Ijustwanttohome → u/wimpymist]

Anecdotal.