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Spanking Makes Kids Dumb?

A new study claims that the more a child is spanked, the lower his IQ is. My first thought when I heard the study was that perhaps the child with the lower IQ was less obedient and that is why they got more spankings. The study also claims to refute that point. For the life of me, I can’t imagine how hitting a child on the butt removes smart cells from his brain. The whole study just seems very peculiar. According to a MSNBC article on the subject, “Straus and his colleague Mallie Paschall of the Pacific Institute for Research … Continue reading →

Southerners Spank Their Kids More

Do you spank your kids as a means of discipline? According to a new study, if you live in the southern portion of the United States, then you probably answered the aforementioned question with a hearty: “Yee-haw!” or “Yes, Ma’m.” Seriously, some company paid to conduct a poll regarding the make-up of spank-happy parents. The result: Sixty-two percent of folks, who live below the Mason-Dixon Line, admit to slapping their kids on their backsides when they don’t mind their manners. The poll also revealed that Yankees are really not that cranky (or at least they don’t pop their kids on … Continue reading →

Toddlers and Television: The Electronic Babysitter

I have been criticized more than once for letting my toddler watch television. It is often referred to as the electronic babysitter, mostly by people who don’t think toddlers should watch television at all. However, I do not consider the television to be an electronic babysitter, so much as a source of both entertainment and education. There have been times when I have joked that I’m happy to have my electronic babysitter. That usually occurs when I desperately need to finish dinner and my son wants to play ball. I need a few minutes to get plates on the table … Continue reading →

Does Michelle Obama’s Discipline Style Work for You?

In Barbara Walters’ interview with First Lady Michelle Obama, who she chose as the ‘Most Fascinating Person of 2009’, they had the opportunity to speak about parenting. Mrs. Obama admits to trying to spank her kids in the past but found it unproductive. She says that she now issues ‘lots of lectures’ in the place of spankings. I definitely understand where she’s coming from. While I am not against spanking, I can count the number of spankings I have given on one hand. For the most part, I found that spanking or the threat of it only works for some … Continue reading →

Do You Discipline Your Child in Public?

When it comes to disciplining a child, consistency is key. However, these days when screaming is the new spanking and swatting a child on the butt could land you in jail, some parents feel forced to ignore their tot when he has meltdown in public. Throw in the fact that everyone armed with a cellphone these days has child welfare services on speed dial and kids don’t hesitate to call the cops on their own parents (when they aren’t seeking revenge via the Internet), and you have the recipe for potential pandemonium. I, like many other parents, hate disciplining my … Continue reading →

No Yelling allowed?

We all know that spanking is frowned upon. Spank your child in public, or give them one swat too many in the privacy of your own home, and you may find yourself in trouble with the authorities. So out of frustration of not being able to chastise children parents have turned to yelling. Apparently yelling, is the new spanking. People are frowning upon that too. Apparently when spanking used to hurt children’s bottoms, yelling “hurts their hearts”. Just like with spanking, I do understand that there is a line where parents can go too far and cross over to abuse. … Continue reading →

Do Time Outs Really Work With Toddlers?

Not if you ask Alfie Kohn. The know-it-all… I mean, child behavior expert and author… recently wrote a piece in the New York Times admonishing parents who punish their children for bad behavior AND those who reward their children for good behavior. According to Kohn, parents who reward or punish their children are sending a message that love is dependent on behavior: “Turn up the affection when they’re good, withhold affection when they’re not.” So, no time outs and no gold stars. I guess Kohn just wants us to let our rule-ignoring kids run around hog wild and never suffer … Continue reading →

Disciplining other People’s Teens

Mary Ann Romans recently wrote about Disciplining Other People’s Kids and I have to say I agree with every word she wrote. As I finished reading it however my first though was, “but my kids are older, and that is not a problem anymore…”, then I thought again. When your kids are little, like in Mary Ann’s case, then you have to deal with little kid type discipline. When your kids are teens, you have to deal with teen type discipline. If you are not firm at this stage and set limits, you are in for a world of hurt. … Continue reading →