Do you think this survey is right that more younger women believe in spanking than did the older generation?

Question

I have been saying for a while that I thought there was a trend among younger mothers back toward spanking. Today I ran into an actual survey with the same result. Even though that was my impression--I was surprised by how high the numbers were. The concusion was:

"In 2004, 79 percent of 18 to 24 year old females agreed that a child sometimes needs a "good hard spanking" compared with 61 percent of 45 to 65 year old females" You can find it at: http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org/indicators/51AttitudesTowardsSpanking.cfm

My Mom is one of the 61 percenters, though to people she always seemed liked a very liberal, cool Mom (and she was) but she also believed in an occassional "good hard spanking":http://girlinshortshorts.blogspot.com/2007/04/cute-little-deer-with-bear-behind_28.html

Anyway, do you think these statistics are correct. I do. I think younger parents are just getting sick and tired of spoiled bratty kids and the Supernanny nonsense.

Answer 1

I think you hit the nail right on the head. Many of the younger generation that are old enough to have children now are the ones who were raised with "time-outs" and no spanking. They learned from their own experiences what worked and what didn't and are seeing the result all around them in their own peer groups (myself included).

People are slowly starting to see that the whole anti-spanking ordeal is NOT working because, with anti-spanking being so prevalent today, there is more violence among juveniles than there was before (during the previous generations that DID spank).

Spanking equals one or 2 incidents with a dude sitting in a clock tower with a rifle.

No spanking equals school shootings on the daily news.

When used correctly spanking is a necessary form of discipline that DOES need to be brought back and possibly TAUGHT to parents, ways to utilize it correctly.

Oh and to the poster above me about spanking "lowers the IQ" that is from the Gershoff study from 30 years ago and it outdated and antiquated. Read up on the more recent studies by Baumrind. There is absolutely NO PROOF that spanking lowers the IQ of a child, however, there is proof that children who are raised with only verbal punisment or only time-outs are more emotionally and mentally disturbed than those who are spanked moderately and properly.

Answer 2

I believe in both the suppernanny "crap" and spanking. I believe she does have some good idea of things to "try" before going right in to spanking a child but yes sometimes a good hard spanking is absolutely necessary.

I wasnt spanked as a child. I am not saying I am a "bad" person actually i believe I am a great person however there were time that I believed at the time i did it and to this day that i really didn;t get the punishment that was really nessary or deserved if i got one at all. I think an occasion spanking will I believe raise a kids self esteem a little. I am not saying beating the hell out of them I am saying a good spanking when called for. I think it will in a sense tell a kid that mom and dad will not tolerate some things and DO care about behavior and not just say they dont they PROVE it. I especially think its good occasionally in a house where both parents work or alot is going on. When parents arent around or alot os going on its harder to go through a grounding and the kid isn't gonna just obey it if they dont "have" to. Plus, its the fact the kid knows the parent is going out of their way to do something when they mess up verses just saying the words "you're grounded". That takes as much effort to say as I love you. You also can't just say "I love you" without some effort and proof for the kid to believe you. So to believe that you mean business they need to shown it as well more then jsut words.

I am 23 no kids yet but when i do i will spank. So i will be one of the 79% of moms.

Answer 3

I'm thinking the majority of the 45-65 age group probably have kids in their mid-late teens or are already grown, it would have been interesting to poll those same women when they were 18-24, those are the mothers of kids who are still young enough to be spanked, I am 34 years old and my mother is of the 45-65 age group as are all the mothers of my friends when I was young, I didn't know a single kid growing up who didn't occasionally get a good spanking.

Answer 4

Definitely we are sick and tired of spoiled kids! But I don't think this means that spanking is always the answer. My husband and I only use that as a very last resort when nothing else is getting through. But our 7 year old knows if she is extremely disrespectful or totally out of control, that it might get her that result. By the way, I think it's been over a year now since she's gotten a spanking!

Answer 5

No, I don't think they are true. I think that any survey that you take is going to be off. It all depends on WHO takes your survey. For all we know they could have gone back out the next day and had opposite results.

I think there is no such trend. People who spank were probably spanked. Their friends probably spank as well. It's just who you know I guess.

I know just as many younger mom's who choose not to discipline at all. Honestly, why do you even care what kind of discipline people use? If it works for them and their children then why even worry? Trust me; I've known many a bad child and there were some who were spanked and some who were not. It's all in HOW you discipline.

Answer 6

I don't know that many younger moms, I am 45 and have 4 children ranging in age from 8 to 16. I have reserved spanking as a method of discipline for the right here, right now misbehaviors- running in the street, touching hot or sharp objects- but time out, grounding or removing a favorite toy or activity for a period of time usually works for other things.I count to 3 and they better get moving or one of the above is implemented!

Answer 7

I don't necessarily agree with the statistics because, as it was a survey, it is all just a matter of opinion. Everyone has there own ways of disciplining just as every child is different and so every child will react to different means of discipline in a different way. Some children to respond to time-outs and learn from their misbehavings where as others do not and a swift swat on the bottom is okay and yes I do believe in spanking just as I do believe in time-outs. Honestly somedays I don't think either of them work, but teh best thing is consistancy and hopefully and eventually they will learn that actions have consequences.

Answer 8

Hmmm...I didn't think so. I don't think the Supernanny is nonsense. I've been putting my son on his "naughty spot" since he was a year old and now all we have to do is start counting to get him to stop. Why wouldn't you want to learn other ways of disciplining a child, the way the Supernanny does, if possible? I don't have a problem with spanking and I was spanked, but why spank when you can do it another way? Supernanny developed those techniques because, as the nanny, she didn't think it was her place to hit another's child. I think we should spank rarely so that they don't become too used to it.

Answer 9

I agree, because the younger generation happen to be the result of the older, and get to see first hand how that didn't work. Remember though, discipline does mean 'to teach', so use spanking as a last resort to really really bad behavior. However, if a child is about to touch a hot pan or something else that could cause serious injury, a good swat on the hands followed by the reason for it is absolutely necessary.

Answer 10

Yes, I agree younger parents are spanking more today. It seems like a big cycle going round and round. Maybe the majority of the population is feeling today's liberal, government involved society has gotten out of hand, and not it's time to revert back to what works, good old fashioned family values. For us that does include an occasional "good HARD spanking"

I know a set of parents who never spanked their children before, they asked us how we raised our girls, and decided to give spanking a try. All I got to say is, now that their children are in line, they are much happier and healthier as a family. Spanking does work, but like anything else, parents need to believe in what they are doing.


Nice Find!