Quote:
Originally Posted by Dirty
As far as the studies go, I had looked stuff up like that before and I can't bring myself to put too much stock into the results. There are just too many variables to consider. Like one study said about how low-income, lower-class parents are more likely to hit their children. Are their behavioral problems as teens and young adults because of the spankings or is it other factors, perhaps an unstable family structure, or effects of poverty or something like that?
|
As I wrote earlier, scientists are not complete idiots. What you're describing is the danger of hidden variables which is likely the most well known pitfall of statistics known to science. Really, they are aware of these potential problems and have methods to work around them to reach their conclusions. Had it been one study with some obvious flaw, I could've seen your point. But we're talking about a wealth of studies and it's not like science is without quality control.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Dirty
I knew in my early teen years that I deserved the spankings that I got as a child, and it helped teach me right from wrong.
|
Right from wrong is obviously very subjective. From the point of view of me and perhaps Scandinavia in general, it didn't teach you right from wrong because you think violence is an okay part of bringing up your child. To me, had you learned right from wrong, you would've learned that you don't hit kids. Excercising your parenting philosophy here would be a crime punishable by law.
So, the "it helped me learn right from wrong" point, which has been made a number of times, has little very relevance and actually seems ridiculously ironic/hypocritical from here.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Dirty
At a young age, when cognitive abilities and critical thinking is still limited, I feel like the best way to teach someone is by spanking them. Sometimes telling kids "no" doesn't work, they don't understand or care.
|
You write as if saying "no" is the only disciplinary alternative there is to corporal punishment. If these kids are so cognitively handicapped, do you expect they will really understand dad's justification for hurting his kid? I don't think so, but I believe it hurts, both physically and emotionally. I also know kids learn real fast from their parents behaviour and will absorb that spanking like a sponge.