Comments on: Does spanking lower IQ?

By: Michele

Michele — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:42:37 +0000

I was spanked, I had no iq issues. Spanking taught me consequences. I was given the rules ahead of time and the consequences for each broken rule. I was taught a strong sense of CHOICE and consequence for choice and as an Adult I feel it did wonders to prepare me for the world.

As to not being able to spank an adult,,,so what. We also are not allowed to confine an adult to a room against their will, its called kidnapping. With children its called being grounded. We are not allowed to discipline adults in any way actually, only the law can and they sometimes beat, imprison or even kill as a consequence for broken laws.

As a child there were laws of the house and consequences for breaking them, just like in society. The more UNDESIRABLE the consequence the less likely the offense, just like in society. Their is a difference between parents with their children and adults with other adults and the difference is WE are responsible for what our kids do and what happens to them and adults are responsible for themself. We are the ‘justice’ system of our home. We need to provide real incentive and reward for good choices and real undesirable consequences for bad ones. As long as their is the balance of both discipline and positive reinforcement,, there is no reason for children not to do just fine.

By: Carlos Rosario

Carlos Rosario — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:19:25 +0000

Spanking lowers the IQ? I think it is the reverse. Children that are spanked are spanked because they have a lower IQ. They do things that they are not supposed to do and think that their parents won’t notice. But their parents do notice. If the children that are spanked had a higher IQ, they would not get in (spankable) trouble in the first place.

By: Saundra

Saundra — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:49:13 +0000

Just had to chime in one more time. In response to The Retired One, all discipline creates anger. I was just as angry when my Mom “read” me the riot act as I was when I got spanked. No more for spanking, no less for the talk. Sometimes, I wished she would give me a couple of swats and “shut up” already. You know the speech, “I’m working hard every day to do this for you and you blah, blah, blah.” No violence. Did not want to hurt her and anyone else. What spanking did create was a strong desire not to do that again, whatever that was. Served it’s purpose.

By: admin

admin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:24:11 +0000

Because of your comments, I was able to write a really awesome article… commentary on the BS of it all. As always thanks. All my readers are extremely bright, it’s a fact. Spanked or not, you guys get a humor/satire that is on a level way above the average bear. Don’t ever forget it.

By: The Retired One

The Retired One — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:05:29 +0000

I totally agree with Insanity Kim. Studies’ results and statistics can be manipulated to support or argue any opinion and only by repeated, blind tests of ethical scientific means can be reliable.
Personally, I can’t believe that spanking does anything but create anger and violence in the spanked children. That is just common sense.

By: The Business Coach for Moms

The Business Coach for Moms — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:11:32 +0000

The authorities in our society treat everyone like an idiot. They give out general instructions to EVERYONE, with the main targets being the stupids.

I remember when i had my 1st child the rule was to feed babies table food at 6mos. 10yrs later the rule changed to 8mo. When I asked a woman at the health dept she told me a lot of people were feeding babies too early so they changed the rules. Same thing for removing the bottle at age 1; too many give their babies juice & koolaid so they now tell EVERYONE to get rid of the bottle.

Not everyone is an idiot. We don’t even drink Koolaid! And not everyone “abuse” their children when they spank. I tapped my kids little hands as early as 11-12 mos. by the time they are 3 all I have to do is threaten and they straighten up….except for one who is VERY strong willed and will outright disobey. “no you can not have a cupcake.” And I’ll look up and he’s eating a cupcake. Some kids need more discipline that others. At age 6 he still needs a sw

By: rachy

rachy — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 04:10:08 +0000

i grew up in a time when kids were spanked. while i did well in school and college (maybe i would have done a little better in school, but i don’t know), i don’t think it helped me emotionally. now i don’t recall being spanked a lot, but often the parental reaction to my misbehavior was emotional, sometimes an expression of anger. i grew up being often impatient, and often expressing anger in moments of impatience. i think i would have benefitted emotionally from a parent who took a more measured (calm) reaction to misbehavior. hopefully, seeing a calm and measured reaction would have presented a model for my own behavior. fortunately, now in my 50s, i’m generally mellower emotionally and can take things with greater perspective.

so i applaud parents who do not resort to spanking, but take a calm and constructive approach like you present in the interview. while a parent can’t ignore misbehavior, there are better ways to correct a child that don’t involve anger or spanking.

By: Bookworm

Bookworm — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:26:22 +0000

That is such a joke. I was spanked, did nothing to my IQ. Not to brag, but I’m well above average. I’m not mentally scarred and I don’t go around attacking people, despite how much I might want to (people in Miami are annoying as he**).

I think people just see what they want to see. Some people have decided spanking’s bad and they’re creating biased studies in order to support their positions. It’s nonsense.

By: momlovesbeingathome

momlovesbeingathome — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:19:24 +0000

I am pro-spanking. I don’t believe there is anything wrong with spanking when it’s used properly. I was spanked as a child and I spanked my own children when they were younger and needed it. I don’t believe for a minute it is connected to low IQ or anything else – including causing violence in those spanked. I am not a violent person after having been spanked nor are my children. I also consider myself to be of above-average intelligence. I graduated top 10% of my class in high school and missed graduating with honors in college by about a tenth of a point. That was only because I got in a little over my head my freshman year of college and my grades reflected that. My last 2-3 years of college I maintained a 4.0.

My children are also above-average and have tested in the 95-99 percentile on standardized tests. My daughter just took the ACT this month and she scored a 29 (and that was her first try, she’s a junior in high school, and she did not finish it because she ran out of time). I’d say her IQ is probably pretty high… and she was spanked plenty when she was little.

My kids are now two of the most well-behaved children I know because they were disciplined well when they were young and grew up to know that rules and boundaries are important and respect for authority is as well.

That’s my 2 cents.

By: Saundra

Saundra — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:14:08 +0000

Loved your answer. Exactly how I feel. I was spanked. So were my children and grand children and none of us were abused! I loved my Mom, Grandmother and aunts. etc who swatted me when I needed it. (I grew up in South so whoever saw the offense could address it.)

By: Amber @ Classic Housewife

Amber @ Classic Housewife — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:44:34 +0000

Good points, Dana, the results may reflect more on class and socioeconomic differences. I think you summed up my main issue with the study in two sentences. See, I may be pretty smart, but I’ve never been very brief. Never ever.

Jenny – perhaps if I hadn’t taken so long to write it you could have gotten it sooner. =P

By: Nancy

Nancy — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:36:02 +0000

As to how spanking relates to I.Q., I would say that it relates to E.Q. not I.Q. (E.Q. being emotional intelligence). I believe spanking would hurt one’s self confidence more than one’s intelligence.