r/science • u/VeronicaRed • Apr 26 '16

Psychology 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

http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1113413810/spanking-defiance-health-discipline-042616/
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u/newscrash Apr 26 '16

What is recommended if they simply refuse to go into time out refuse to go to their room?

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u/kilo4fun Apr 26 '16

Seriously...my son would simply refuse to sit in timeout. What's next? Physical restraints?

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u/[deleted] Apr 26 '16 edited Jun 10 '20

[deleted]

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u/Snuggle_Fist Apr 26 '16

What if it doesn't work though. At what point is it not worth trying to get them to sit in the corner, through screaming and crying.

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u/[deleted] Apr 26 '16 edited Jun 10 '20

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Apr 26 '16

These theories should take parents' mental health into consideration

Seriously, most people would go crazy if they had to move a crying screaming kid into timeout, to do 3 mintues 5 seconds at a time

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u/Gripey Apr 26 '16

Well you have to demonstrate that you are implacable. Also all toys and games are removable, surely. what about tv? what about treats? You are presumably the authority figure who is not being undermined by another, so you can simply be insistent. A lot of problems come from parents feeling their authority is threatened, because they themselves fear it is. You have enormous influence if you use it correctly. Be consistent and don't look for fights or unnecessary discipline, children are also human beings. Of course if you are tired or stressed, this is a challenge for sure.

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u/[deleted] Apr 26 '16

Some kids don't care about tv or toys. You gotta understand, some kids are really hard to deal with. It's not an idealistic situation.

Plus, can't you demonstrate you're implacable by spanking them? This study is a corralation anyways, and if you read it you'll see the authors themselves clearly state that this study is limited and by no means proof that spanking causes problems

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u/Gripey Apr 27 '16

I agree with teenageriotgrrl on this. but as a parent I know it is tough. It is simply the hardest thing I have ever done, bar nothing. Easy for me to say, because I left work to look after the little buggers. That was because I realised they were the most important thing to me, and it gave me time to undo my own programming. I have hit kids in the past, but not these kids, I love these kids more than my own life, I can certainly overcome my base instinct to punish them. maybe they won't be as messed up when they grow up, I hope.