Study confirms: smacking is bad

A new study has found that harsh discipline and parental stress is increasing the risk of mental health troubles in young children. Children as young as three have been diagnosed as suffering from depression and anxiety.

The study, from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, followed more than 700 toddlers, aged between seven months and three years, to reveal the risks of parenting practices.

“Study author and child psychologist Dr Jordana Bayer said constant smacking and yelling at a child was fuelling abusive behaviour.

“We are not talking about a parent who smacks just once,” she said.

“Remember when parents smack or hit their child, they might learn to do that as well. When parents are stressed, it’s more challenging to be relaxed and respond to their children in ways they would like to respond to them.”

Children subjected to physical punishment are more likely to kick, hit and bite others and become socially withdrawn.

Parents who continue to smack their abusive children could be setting them on a path of alcohol and drug abuse, crime, unemployment and suicide.”

The problem seems to be increasingly stressed-out parents who are taking their frustration out of their kids. It always amazes me that childbirth classes are widely available but the real hard stuff — parenting — is difficult to get help for.

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