I recently came across a research paper by Elizabeth Gershoff published in the journal of Law and Contemporary problems in 2010 entitled: More harm than good: a summary of the scientific research on the intended and unintended effects of corporal punishment on children. The aim of this blog post is to summarise the main findings of the 25 page research paper which explores the findings of hundreds of research studies from many disciplines including: psychology, medicine, social work and education. Main finding: “The social and medical sciences report that the risks for substantial harm from corporal punishment outweigh any immediate benefit of immediate child compliance.” (P32) Read on to find out the many forms of ‘substantial harm’ that can result – I was shocked! Definition: Basically, corporal punishment is hitting, smacking, spanking or physically punishing a child with the intent of changing their behaviour rather than harming them (it is not about physical child abuse). Do you smack your children? Statistics for the United States for parents physically punishing their children are as follows: 50% of parents of toddlers 65-68% of parents of preschoolers 85% percent of middle and high school children Why parents use physical punishments? Do you smack your children? Were you physically punished as a child? Tradition–parents who were spanked as children and adolescents tend to be more supportive of corporal punishment then children who were not. History – criminals were historically punished by public floggings or other physical punishments. Religion – some religions advocate corporal punishment It is interesting to note that while it is no longer legal for courts to sentence criminals to corporal punishments for crimes, it is still legal for parents (and teachers in some states) to physically punish their children as a method of discipline – with the exception of New Zealand where it is now illegal to use corporal punishment on a child. Intended effects of physical punishment: Do you think smacking is helpful and it is basically ‘harmless’? Parents have both short-term and long term intentions when it comes to choosing to hit their children.   Short-term In the short term they may want to get their child’s attention, make them comply or change their unacceptable behaviour (eg: hitting, biting, stealing, lying or playing with matches) An aside: it seems contradictory and disingenuous to hit a child for hitting another child while saying ‘hitting is bad’… doesn’t make sense right? Numerous research studies show that in the short term, physical punishment is NO more effective than other methods such as time out with a barrier preventing the child from leaving. In other words physical and non-physical punishments are EQUALLY as effective at modifying the behaviour in the short term and non-physical punishment does not have all of the negative consequences like increased child aggression and risks of physical injury among the many others outlined below. Long-term In the long term, parents intend for the corporal punishment to act as a deterrent to the child repeating unacceptable behaviours and encouraging them to continue to act in more socially acceptable ways. “A consistent body of research evidence reveals that more corporal punishment by parents is associated with less long-term compliance and less pro-social behaviour and more aggression and anti-social behaviour” In other words the more children are physically punished the less they comply with their parents wishes, the less they behave in socially appropriate ways and the more aggressive they become and the more they behave unacceptably. Put simply smacking makes children’s and adolescent’s behaviour worse, not better, in the long term! The paper then goes on to talk about the many unintended consequences of corporal punishment – this was a shock to me. Unintended consequences of physical punishment Physical injury and abuse. Most importantly, a parent’s risk of physically harming and abusing their child increases the more frequently they use physical punishment as a means of discipline. Child abuse often starts out with the intention to discipline and escalates to harm. Mental health problems. The more frequently children are hit or the more severely they are hit the more likely they are to have emotional and psychological stress as well as metal health problems like depression and anxiety. Harms parents’ relationships with their children. Children who are physically punished tend to avoid their parents, dislike them, want to run away, don’t develop closeness and become distrustful of their parents. Increased aggression and anti-social behaviour. The more physical punishment the more aggressive the child and the adult become. Often times the aggression is directed towards their own children and spouses as well as others. This is the one unintended consequence I didn’t expect that shocked me: Reduced cognitive ability. Studies have shown that children who are physically punished have lower IQ scores and lower results on standardised tests of mental abilities. To conclude: While not every child will suffer the many serious negative consequences due to physical punishments as summarised in this blog post, the evidence is compelling that physically punishing your child does more harm than good. Do you want to take the risk of harming your child and your relationship with your child for some short-term compliance, when you could use other methods that are equally effective but don’t carry the many unintended negative consequences? If you though spanking your child would make them a better person, think again, the research shows that in fact, they are more likely to become aggressive and behave in more anti-social ways.

Want to know more about raising teens? Join parenting expert Dr Rosina as she interviews Ray Erickson who has over 30 years experience working with teenagers. In his new book  Ten Tips to Tame Your Teen  - Ray explains his time tested ways to help parents raise socially conscious, self-assured and productive young adults. Ray’s Ten Tips are supported by the latest research on teenage brains such as featured in the October, 2011 National Geographic.  Since humor is a cornerstone of Ray’s work whether he is working with teens, parents or speaking to a group, get ready to be educated and entertained!

Parenting expert Dr Rosina interviews the very dynamic parenting expert Dr Yvonne Sum. Yvonne will share her insights based on her ideas that parents are leaders and that parenting is a learning partnership between parents and kids. Learn more about her program - the 7R's of parenting which includes: Role modeling, Respect, Rules, Routine, Review and Reflect, Reorganise, Running-it- Response-ability Dr Yvonne Sum  www.dryvonnesum.com  Please join us for another informative and fun interview as we learn more about parenting and child development.

Parenting expert Dr Rosina interview's Jan Roberts from Wellness Centre and author of several books, including The Natural Way to Better Babies; The Natural Way to Better Pregnancy and The Natural Way to Better Birthing and Bonding. Topics include preconception, conception and healthy babies.

Article in Wellbeing Magazine written by parenting expert Dr Rosina Parents have many different approaches to raising children and these differences have been stereotyped with labels such as attachment parenting, helicopter parenting, free-range parenting, conscious parenting and even good-enough parenting. Read the full article here

RAISING A GENERATION WHERE DISRESPECT IS NOT TOLERATED Parenting expert Dr Rosina was asked to participate in the government campaign "Stop it at the Start"

As parents, our role is to love, protect and to help our children prepare for life. The research shows that teaching children life skills is the key to helping them have a happy, successful and fulfilling life. For example, if your child is a good communicator, they’ll be able to make friends easily. If your child has good self-esteem, they’re more likely to go for their dreams and are less likely to succumb to negative peer pressure.

Parenting expert Dr Rosina interviews Dr Monique Robinson on the effects of stress during pregnancy on the unborn child. Dr Robinson is a researcher at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. Her  findings indicate that stress in pregnancy can lead to behavioural or emotional problems in babies which can extend, not only into childhood, but right up into adolescent years. Learn what you can do to nurture a healthy and happy baby.

Parenting expert Dr Rosina interviews Sue Anderson from  Good2Gr8  Transformational Coaching about an innovative  new approach towards understanding and managing bullying in schools.

Media Release 10th November 2010 Extreme Parenting: from ‘helicopter parents’ to ‘free range kids’. Have we lost the common-sense middle ground? Dr Rosina McAlpine, an internationally recognised, award-winning researcher, educator and mother talks about challenges of modern day parenting.  Conflicting parenting advice Most parents accept that parenting is hard and that they need help. However, parenting advice is very confusing. Some experts advocate staying close to your children while others recommend giving them space. Over the years numerous conflicting approaches to parenting have come and gone and it’s no different today. So how are parents supposed to know what’s best? “The current trends on parenting are situated at the extremes. Helicopter parents are criticised for ‘hovering’ over their children and being over protective. At the other end of the extreme are the advocates for raising independent ‘free-range kids’. It seems we’ve lost the common-sense approach to parenting and we need to ask ourselves what is parenting really about?, go back to basics and find the middle ground.” Dr Rosina Inspired by her own experience of motherhood and concerned with the current trends in parenting, Dr Rosina developed the Win Win Parenting Program which empowers parents to help their children develop key life skills. It’s based on a common-sense approach to parenting with a focus on preparing children for life.  As a working mother, Dr Rosina has first-hand personal experience about how busy today’s parents are, so the program develops life skills using activities that take only 15 minutes at a time. The program is emailed directly to parents providing weekly parenting advice and easy to follow life skills activities. Parenting - no training or qualifications needed? Most people accept that the majority of roles we play in society require qualifications and training. Accountants, doctors, pastry chefs and baristas are but a few examples. In particular, if you want to work with children whether at a day care centre, pre-school or school you need background checks and years of training. Parenting on the other hand is quite different. It involves taking care of children over many years with no background check and no need to learn anything about it. “When I first became a parent I realised that I didn’t have all the knowledge I needed to help my child become a confident and well rounded person. As a researcher I put my skills to good use and interviewed experts and summarised the latest research on child development. Armed with this information I’ve become a more confident mother and have developed the Win Win Parenting Program to empower other parents and children.” Dr Rosina  Some people might say that you learn to parent from your experience of being parented and that may be true, but what if it wasn’t a wonderful experience? What then? Parents can unintentionally get it very wrong Most parents would agree that raising a child is one of life's hardest and most rewarding challenges. So it isn’t surprising parents can unintentionally get it very wrong resulting in depressed, obese, unhappy and psychologically unsound children.  “Even though parents know deep down that supporting a child’s physical, emotional, psychological and intellectual development is very complex, many parents don’t seem to actively learn about the important task of raising another human being until things go wrong and they need professional help for their child”. Dr Rosina 7 key areas for life skill and attribute development: back-to-basics parenting Children require love and guidance to help them develop skills and the personal qualities which will provide them with a strong foundation for life success. Parents need practical advice to help them be active and supportive parents. Dr Rosina McAlpine, founder of the Win Win Parenting Program has identified the 7 key areas for life skill and attribute development.  The aim is to help parents get ‘back-to-basics’ in relation to parenting and empower their children with life skills. In just one year, the Win Win Parenting Program provides children with over 100 skills and personal qualities including: • good self-esteem and resilience                 • a love for learning and exploring career paths • how to budget and manage money           • social and environmental awareness • nurturing personal and professional relationships         • maintaining health through nutrition and exercise • effective communication skills                                    • creativity and imagination • identifying and achieving goals                                   • relaxation and play for work/life balance. Most importantly the program helps children be inspired to lead a happy, productive and meaningful life.

Parenting expert Dr Rosina for the Wellbeing Magazine How confident do you feel as a parent? Whether you’re a new parent working out how to care for your tiny baby, taming your boisterous toddler or being baffled by your teenager’s erratic mood swings, every stage of parenting can be challenging. Read the full article here

Parenting expert Dr Rosina writes for the Wellbeing Magazine Communication is an important part of life. It helps people learn, share thoughts and feelings, connect with each other, and build relationships. However, communicating isn’t a straightforward process, as you’ve no doubt experienced. Too often, miscommunications and misunderstandings occur because the message received wasn’t the message intended. So it’s important to be mindful as your interactions with others have the power to nurture or harm relationships. Read the Full article here