Re: Spanking can lower your child's IQ

[Guest guest]

Earlier this year I was at a wedding meal and some of the people around me were

discussing smacking/spanking. I was taken aback when the friend I was with came

out with the line;

" Smacking never did me any harm. "

However I instantly replied;

" Maybe that's why your memory is so bad " .

The conversation ended there, but maybe I wasn't so far off the mark after all.

>

>

http://ca.lifestyle.yahoo.com/family-relationships/blog/anndouglas/1192/does-thi\

s-change-your-mind-about-spanking-spanking-can-lower-your-child-s-iq

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>

> Does this change your mind about spanking? Spanking can lower your child's IQ

>

> Posted Fri, Sep 25, 2009

>

> POST A COMMENT »

>

> Forget everything else you've ever read about spanking. All the arguments

about how ineffective it is or how it can damage the relationship between you

and your child, all the other arguments against spanking you've heard 10,000

times before. Perhaps this brand new research, showing that spanking can lower

your child's IQ, will change your mind about spanking once and for all.

>

> Professor Murray Straus of the University of New Hampshire has discovered that

the traumatizing effects of spanking have a spillover effect on IQ.

Specifically, children who were spanked had lower IQs than children who were not

spanked. Straus is presenting the results of his research at the 14th

International Conference on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma, in San Diego,

California, today.

>

> To conduct his research, Straus followed children in two different age groups

(ages two to four and ages five to nine). He looked at children who were being

spanked and children who were not being spanked. He then followed up to see how

all of the children were doing four years later, so that he could investigate

any differences between being spanking versus not being spanking.

>

> Here's what he found:

>

> * The IQ scores of children ages two to four who were spanked were 5

points lower four years later than children who were not spanked.

> * The IQ scores of children ages five to nine who were spanked were 2.8

points lower four years later than children who were not spanked.

> * How often parents spanked their children also made a difference in how

well the children were doing. Children who were spanked frequently were

developing more slowly than children who were spanked less frequently. Even

occasional spankings had a measurable impact on child development.

>

> According to Straus, being spanked is extremely stressful and can become a

chronic source of stress for young children. They may experience post-traumatic

stress symptoms such as being afraid that terrible things are about to happen

and being easily startled. These symptoms are associated with lower IQ.

>

> Straus' findings are already attracting considerable online buzz and the study

is likely to be cited in future by the most respected global health and child

protection authorities. The United Nations has urged all member states to pass

laws making violence against children, including corporal punishment, illegal.

Many have done so, but Canada has not.

>

> So what's your take?

>

> Does this latest study change your thinking about spanking?

>

> From the Study:

>

> The More Spanking, the Lower the Child's Cognitive Ability Score Four

Years Later

>

> The Higher the Percent of Parents in a Nation Who Used Corporal Punishment

with Teenagers, the Lower the National Average IQ

>

> The More Spanking, the Greater the Probability of Post-Traumatic Stress

Symptoms

>

[Guest guest]

My parents usually explained to me why something was bad and I didn't do it after that. If I did do something, it worked much better on me to deprive me of some privilege. Usually this would be to sit in a chair for 10 or 15 minutes with no TV, no music and certainly no toys. That wasn't fun at all, but it made the point.

Spanking was more common then, but like I said, I only got it because I put myself in physical danger of serious injury. I suppose in that case a spanking was better than the alternative.

I do agree with you about parents not wanting to spend time on their kids. Its the same reason many use medications on their kids, they just don't want the bother.

In a message dated 9/28/2009 3:07:13 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

replies: My mom spanked me a few dozen times when I was very young. In that day and age, spanking was common. I think as time has passed, most people have curbed the practice of spanking their kids. It seems to me that these days, parents who don't want to spend time instructing their children tend to spank more than those who are willing to spend time guiding and mentoring their children.

Administrator

[Guest guest]

Gee, when I read this I thought about how scary intelligent I would be

today if only.... Speaking from experience, all a beating does is to

make one fear the one with the strength to do you harm. I always

thought a firm speaking to and depriving a child of privlieges worked

much better. Less stress on all involved and it is an example you would

want the child to learn from.

I also agree with Tom, parents want a quick fix. Also, many young

parents never were taught decent parenting techniques. They repeat the

same type of parenting styles of their mother's/father's. They are also

too emotional, hormonal, and sometimes intoxicated, leading to poor

judgement on how to cope with a situation.

Kim

>

> My parents usually explained to me why something was bad and I didn't

do it

> after that. If I did do something, it worked much better on me to

deprive

> me of some privilege. Usually this would be to sit in a chair for 10

or 15

> minutes with no TV, no music and certainly no toys. That wasn't fun at

all,

> but it made the point.

>

> Spanking was more common then, but like I said, I only got it because

I put

> myself in physical danger of serious injury. I suppose in that case a

> spanking was better than the alternative.

>

> I do agree with you about parents not wanting to spend time on their

kids.

> Its the same reason many use medications on their kids, they just

don't

> want the bother.

>

>

>

>

> In a message dated 9/28/2009 3:07:13 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

> no_reply writes:

>

> replies: My mom spanked me a few dozen times when I was very

young.

> In that day and age, spanking was common. I think as time has passed,

most

> people have curbed the practice of spanking their kids. It seems to me

> that these days, parents who don't want to spend time instructing

their

> children tend to spank more than those who are willing to spend time

guiding and

> mentoring their children.

>

> Administrator

>

[Guest guest]

"Also, many young parents never were taught decent parenting techniques. They repeat the same type of parenting styles of their mother's/father's. "

I have never understood this mentality which can be encapsulated in one of two ways:

"Despite the fact that my family is dysfunctional, I am going to adopt the parenting technique I have witnessed growing up and apply it to my own children."

or

"No one teaches me anything ergo I am helpless as far as parenting is concerned."

Did it ever occur to anyone to go out and peruse a few parenting manuals no matter how they themselves were parented? They can either buy parenting books, find parenting techniques on line, or get parenting books from their libraries.

I've read a few of them before I even thought of having or not having kids. Doctor Spock was all the rage and I began with him...but I did not finish with him either.

Anyone can do it. Which leads me to feel that if anyone is too lazy to even consider looking beyond the parenting techniques which they themselves were subjected to (good or bad) then they ought not to be parents in the first place.

Administrator

[Guest guest]

-- In FAMSecretSociety , "zzgeminigrrl" wrote:

"Also, many young parents never were taught decent parenting techniques. They repeat the same type of parenting styles of their mother's/father's. "

Just wanted to add that this is a pet peeve of mine. I look at what Elyse has been able to do with Cub. Cub is an Aspie and won an award for outstanding community leadership. Meanwhile all over the net and in person, we keep hearing from parents who believe their Aspies are lost causes.

Some parents give up too soon. They just throw up their hands and say "I've tried what I was taught and that's all I can do." Well, if what they were taught is not working, they should learn new techniques and try those.

Administrator

[Guest guest]

Very good points made by ;

Many resources are available to parents nowadays; (and when my daughter was young)

Some areas have reasonably priced parenting classes, some which provide activities for the children while the parents are in their sessions.

Unfortunately people either don't always accept their responsibility to learn different ways of doing things OR don't realize that certain behaviours may be ingrained in them, then they may not 'see' that they are behaving like their own parents did;

Also, there still seems to be an emotional 'feel good' unreality attached to parenting, a mindless belief that good parenting is instinctive, that parents want what is best for their children and will therefore Do what is best.

I don't think that attitude is just held by the poor and uneducated, or by those who may be 'mentally challenged'.

This DOES NOT free people from responsibility to learn to parent wisely. We are not helpless nor bound by the mistakes of the past.

rl

'My cat Rusty is a servant of the Living God....'

adapted from a poem by Smart

From: environmental1st2003 <no_reply >Subject: Re: Spanking can lower your child's IQTo: FAMSecretSociety Received: Tuesday, September 29, 2009, 9:31 AM

"Also, many young parents never were taught decent parenting techniques. They repeat the same type of parenting styles of their mother's/father' s. "

I have never understood this mentality which can be encapsulated in one of two ways:

"Despite the fact that my family is dysfunctional, I am going to adopt the parenting technique I have witnessed growing up and apply it to my own children."

or

"No one teaches me anything ergo I am helpless as far as parenting is concerned."

Did it ever occur to anyone to go out and peruse a few parenting manuals no matter how they themselves were parented? They can either buy parenting books, find parenting techniques on line, or get parenting books from their libraries.

I've read a few of them before I even thought of having or not having kids. Doctor Spock was all the rage and I began with him...but I did not finish with him either.

Anyone can do it. Which leads me to feel that if anyone is too lazy to even consider looking beyond the parenting techniques which they themselves were subjected to (good or bad) then they ought not to be parents in the first place.

Administrator

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[Guest guest]

In many areas of life, people tend to do what they usually do, even when it is not working.

Often they seem oblivous to changing what they are doing, to try and acheive different results.rl

'My cat Rusty is a servant of the Living God....'

adapted from a poem by Smart

"Also, many young parents never were taught decent parenting techniques. They repeat the same type of parenting styles of their mother's/father' s. "

Just wanted to add that this is a pet peeve of mine. I look at what Elyse has been able to do with Cub. Cub is an Aspie and won an award for outstanding community leadership. Meanwhile all over the net and in person, we keep hearing from parents who believe their Aspies are lost causes.

Some parents give up too soon. They just throw up their hands and say "I've tried what I was taught and that's all I can do." Well, if what they were taught is not working, they should learn new techniques and try those.

Administrator

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[Guest guest]

" Also, there still seems to be an emotional 'feel good' unreality attached to

parenting, a mindless belief that good parenting is instinctive, that parents

want what is best for their children and will therefore Do what is best. "

" I don't think that attitude is just held by the poor and uneducated, or by

those who may be 'mentally challenged'. "

Very good point RL.

Instinct seems to be a manifestation of knowledge and intuition. Intuition is

fallible, and what we know changes on a day to day basis as new things are

invented. What most people fail to consider is that as society changes,

parenting techniques may need to change with them.

Administrator

[Guest guest]

" In many areas of life, people tend to do what they usually do, even when it is

not working. Often they seem oblivous to changing what they are doing, to try

and acheive different results. "

Right, and when it is suggested that they try something else, rather than try,

they balk and take things personally.

Administrator