(July 20, 2016 at 2:52 am)SteelCurtain Wrote: I agree with Benny.
Most studies done show that authoritarian parenting produces the best results, on average. This doesn't mean a tyrannical parent, but a parent who asserts their authority. But kids are little hoomans, and not every kid responds to the same parenting approach. Also, they are exposed to a million little things that are beyond any parent's control that will shape the person they will become. A particularly bad dream can traumatise a kid for life. Nothing a parent can do about that. The point is that there are a thousand things that can influence bad behavior in a kid.
Spanking, while it works as a conditioning method, is fraught with side effects that are bad. For one, it teaches children that being physically aggressive or violent with people is a way to solve problems. Two, it is often coupled with a waiting period (say, for the other parent to come home) which allows the child to sit in fear. Lastly, while many parents who spank their kids will swear that they never do it in anger and hug their children and make them feel safe and secure afterwards, it is impossible to remove the message of anger from the act of swinging your hand (or an object) at a child.
Now, plenty of children who are spanked grow up to be good, well adjusted people. My siblings and I were spanked with a belt. I don't associate any trauma with it, and my brother doesn't, either. My sister spanks her three kids, and they are fantastic little fuckers. I won't do it if I ever have kids. There are so many different and more effective ways to discipline your child without hitting them.
Btw I think you meant authoritative