Harvard and Stanford Experts Speak Out Against Spanking at Kids In The House

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Is spanking ever a justified form of discipline? Amid the controversies surrounding NFL running back Adrian Peterson, it's important to take a step back and see how physical discipline is shaping the lives of our children. The research is conclusive that spanking is not an appropriate form of discipline and contributes to more negative behaviors in kids.

Kids In The House features interviews with the top parenting experts in the world including Robert Brooks a psychologist on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, Stanford Professor of Psychology Carol Dweck, Harvard educated psychiatrist Ned Hallowell, and Today Show contributor Michele Borba, EdD who share their professional insights on the spanking debate.

Dr. Brooks encourages parents not to spank their children because the emotional impact can be so severe that it effects their development even into their adult lives.

"I have spoken to adults who are still in tears thinking about the times they were spanked by their parents and many of them interpreted their parents as being out of control," explains Dr. Brooks.

Dr. Brooks explains how research has shown that when parents use physical discipline against their children it causes kids to become much angrier and may lead them to become physical with others, including their own children in the future. Borba shares similar research, which shows that children acquire a reduced sense of empathy and moral development when they are physically disciplined.

These negative behaviors develop because parents are teaching their children the wrong behavior and sending kids the wrong message when they use physical force.

"The important thing for parents to realize is that every thing you do towards your child sends a message," says Dr. Dweck. "And the message that you send when you spank a child is that it's okay to resolve a conflict with physical aggression." 

Borba also discourages spanking because it only temporarily stops the negative behavior being disciplined, and the behavior is likely to resurface because the child is not being taught how to act any other way.

Furthermore, it is widely agreed that spanking will not only diminish the relationship parents have with their child, but it will also slowly destroy the trust they have with you.

"Spanking can really squelch your relationship with your child," Borba explains. 

Dr. Hallowell echoes these ideas, especially when it comes to parenting children with special needs. This can be an especially tough responsibility and parents can often lose patience with their children and resort to spanking as a form of discipline. However, Dr. Hallowell explains that spanking is an extremely ineffective discipline method for kids with special needs.

"One of the biggest mistakes that's been made for thousands of years is to believe the best way to help kids with ADHD is to punish them more," explains Dr. Hallowell. "But it does no good and it causes a lot of harm."

Instead, Dr. Hallowell encourages parents to use structure and support in the parenting process of children with special needs. He says it's important for these kids to develop the internal control they naturally lack.

Kids In The House urges all parents to think #BeforeSpanking. For more expert advice on the effects of physical discipline and spanking, visit www.KidsInTheHouse.com.

About Kids in the House

Kids in the House: Parenting Tips and Expert Advice is an educational website with the goal of helping parents and caregivers become better at parenting by educating, inspiring and entertaining. The 8,000 videos on the website feature interviews with over 450 top experts in parenting, including physicians, psychologists, researchers, educators and best-selling authors, as well as leaders of national organizations. The videos also feature parents who have dealt with particular issues and can share their hard-earned wisdom. Parents have the opportunity to hear and share different perspectives and get solutions for parenting challenges that range from pregnancy through getting into college. Kids in the House aims to be the most comprehensive resource for parenting advice, one which respects the fact that there is no on-size-fits-all solution.

Fore more information about Kids in the House or to schedule an interview, please contact Kids in the House at (310) 899-6026 or [email protected].

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