A New Study Reveals That More Parents Are OK With Spanking Children Than Hitting A Pet

You are probably aware that spanking your kids is, well, terrible. And whether you agree or disagree, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has long advised that parents not hit their children, please and thanks. On top of that, decades of research has proven spanking to be ineffective at best, and harmful at worst.

Nonetheless, many parents still use spanking as a disciplinary tactic. However, a new study shows that parents’ beliefs around hitting kids often don’t extend to other family members — or even pets. Yes, believe it or not, parents considered it more acceptable to hit their child than their dog.

A new study published in the journal Psychology of Violence revealed this case of cognitive dissonance. Researchers surveyed 286 parents of children up to 8 years old, from across the United States on their beliefs regarding corporeal punishment.

Of the surveyed parents, 30% reported that it was acceptable to hit children, while only 17% found it acceptable to hit a dog. Meanwhile, 1% of respondents considered it justifiable to hit your wife, and 0% would hit a parent with Alzheimer’s.

Um... OK!

Interestingly, while 90% of parents agreed with a definition of spanking that included the word “hitting,” and 33% used the term “hitting” when defining the word “spanking” themselves, surveyed parents rated spanking as less severe than hitting.

The researchers also noted that nearly a third of parents reported their beliefs on spanking had changed as a result of taking the survey.

Perhaps facing their inconsistent beliefs head-on encouraged a change in mindset?

“This study demonstrated that American parents hold inconsistent beliefs about hitting children,” the researchers wrote. “These results exemplify the need for systemic parent education and policy interventions to bring children’s human rights to live free from family violence in line with the recognized rights of adults.”

This isn’t to say parents should never exercises any sort of discipline, just that there are better, healthier options than physical violence. The AAP recommends a number of alternatives to spanking, including positive reinforcement of appropriate behaviors, limit setting, redirecting, and setting future expectations. These alternatives are backed by science to work, too.

Imagine how you would discipline your dog! Give them a hug for a good job, and shorten the leash if they’re running wild, but leave spanking to the history books.