WARNING If You Spank Your Children They Are More Likely To Grow Up To Be Abusive Adults Recent Research Shows

Mar 01, 2018

Even as early as the past generation, it was completely normal to receive a spanking or paddling when misbehaving with the goal to stop you from doing it again. If you were born between the 60s - 80s or even in some cases 90s, you will know exactly what we mean! 

Most children were being spanked by a parent's hand, but in more brutal circumstances they were at the end of a belt. This is now frowned upon but it used to be seen as a perfectly reasonable punishment. 

However, some parents nowadays still find themselves doing it because that is what they had to go through as a child. But, research now shows that this should change, and the spanking should finally stop as it could result in children growing up to be abusive adults. 

It is very common that parents dish out physical punishment because it might seem like the easiest way to get the message across without having elevated discussions. However, with parent advice forums taking over the internet, there are a lot more ways to punish a child without being physical, and this should be utilized more.   

Many parents will say that they had physical punishment when they were a child, and they grew up fine. But this is all changing, and parents must not presume the same punishment is acceptable in this generation. The people who believe it is still acceptable would be more likely to agree that smoking and drinking alcohol when pregnant is also okay, as this is what people used to do in the past. But, as we all know now, this behavior doesn't bring any health to the baby. 

It goes to show we have learned a lot from our ancestors already, but the physical punishment continues in some families. 

A study from the University of Texas Medical Branch had 800 participating adults questioned and the result showed that the majority who spank their children were also hit by their parents. 

"We wanted to determine if there is a link between childhood experiences with corporal punishment such as spanking, and later perpetration of dating violence," said Dr. Jeff Temple, a professor at UTMB

And from the same source... 

“Although mounting evidence shows the many detrimental effects of corporal punishment, many parents, much of the general public, and even some schools continue thinking this is an acceptable means to punish misbehavior,” Temple said.

Rather than teaching the children a lesson by spanking them it instead makes them angry, and when they have the opportunity to have power over someone else they embrace it. So before punishing your child think about the severe consequences you may be provoking down the line. 

"Common sense and scientific research both tell us that children learn from their parents,” Temple said. “Parents are a child’s first look at relationships and how conflicts are handled. Corporal punishment is communicating to children that violence is an acceptable means of changing behavior. Not only is this an ineffective strategy for changing behavior or resolving conflict, our study and other research show that physical punishment negatively impacts the short and long-term health and behavior of children."

What do you think about spanking children as a punishment? Let us know in the comment section. 

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