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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: epicure who wrote (13240)	5/8/2001 6:11:59 PM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 82486

I ran across this article on the relationship between spanking and abuse. Thought you might find it interesting. Tucson, Arizona Tuesday, 8 May 2001 John Rosemond Spanking outrage is baseless 'You ought to be ashamed of yourself for endorsing spanking in a recent column! Of all people, you should know that spankings often escalate into child abuse, and, even when they don't, they teach children that hitting other people is OK. Teaching a child to resolve conflict peacefully starts with never hitting the child." The above is a composite, representing the many letters of protest sent in response to a recent column in which I told the true story of a mom who spanked her 3-year-old for deliberately and with rebellious forethought pooped on his bedroom floor when sent to his room for timeout. The spankings, of which there were three, in combination with taking favorite toys away, were persuasive. Realizing that facts often do not matter to people who hold zealous opinions, I am going to offer some facts about spanking. But, first, a clarification: I have never used this column to "endorse" spankings. In this case, I told a story, the point of which was that firm discipline can and often does cure behavior problems that mental health professionals might ascribe to deep-seated psychological causes. I do not think spankings are essential to good discipline; however, I am not persuaded that spankings per se are bad. Furthermore, I recognize that there are disciplinary situations (for example, the one above) in which spankings are effective. "Yes, John," someone is saying, "but there is always an alternative." That's true, but it begs the crucial question: Would the alternative have been as effective? Anyway, to the facts: Spankings do not easily or normally escalate into child abuse. Of the many parents who spank, a truly minuscule number actually abuse their children. In most cases, spankings "de-escalate" as a child matures. In 1996, a special conference convened by the American Academy of Pediatrics came to the conclusion that research purporting to prove that spanking incites anti-social behavior was less compelling than research showing that spankings deter anti-social behavior. The committee concluded that there was no evidence to suggest that spankings per se are harmful. Spankings do not teach children that hitting is OK. Quite the contrary, in fact. Researchers recently discovered that aggression in children is highly correlated with parental permissiveness, and permissive parents are not likely to be spankers. Inadequate parental discipline often results in a child who cannot restrain anti-social impulses of any kind. The relationship between spanking and child abuse is paradoxical. Sweden outlawed parental spanking in 1979. A decade or so later, psychologist Robert Larzelere conducted a follow-up study in which he found that child abuse had increased significantly since the ban. Since the early 1970s, professor Diana Baumrind has conducted a state-of-the-art longitudinal study on parental styles. She has found that parents who claim they do not believe in spanking are more likely to react abusively to their children's misbehavior than parents who are willing to spank. Unfortunately, research that supports the efficacy of spanking rarely receives attention in the mainstream media. Given half of the story, and the weaker half at that, the fact that many people think spankings are abhorrent is excusable. Those willing to open their minds will be interested in the following Web site: people.biola.edu. * John Rosemond has a master's degree in psychology from Western Illinois University. Questions can be sent to him at Affirmative Parenting, 9247 N. Meridian, Indianapolis, IN 46260. azstarnet.com