Is hitting children hit among parents?

65% of Indians spank their children: Study

Shreya Bhandary

   Mumbai: When parents lose their cool, children feel the heat. A survey of 10 cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Surat, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Bangalore, found that 65% of parents spank their children (14% at least once a week).

    Surprisingly, mothers are more disposed to raise their hands while a majority of fathers prefer to spare the rod. Again, housewives more than working women end up resorting to physical punishment.

    The most common reasons cited for spanking a child are irritation leading to frustration and the need for discipline. Given the high stress levels in metros, counsellors caution against corporal punishment affecting young minds adversely.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2012/11/01&PageLabel=3&EntityId=Ar00304&ViewMode=HTML

Stay-at-home moms hit their kids most often

Maximum Children Earn Ire At Meal Time: Survey

Shreya Bhandary

    Reports of children taking extreme steps or running away from home after being disciplined stare at us from newspapers every other day. Yet, in a shocking finding, a study tells us that almost seven out of 10 parents hit their children in Mumbai. Across India, 65% parents admit they are not averse to spanking their kids. 
    The Supreme Court had banned corporal punishment in schools in 2000. 
    Surprisingly, mothers — 77% across India and in Mumbai — were found most liable to raise their hands against children. Housewives came across as the harshest though it is usually believed that they have more time for their kids than mothers juggling family life with a job (See box). The survey by a well-known education group in Mumbai was carried out across 10 cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Bangalore. 
    “What was shocking was that spanking was more evident in the cities than in rural areas. The survey shows that in most cases, stay-at-home mothers resort to physical punishment for their children,” said Swati Popat Vats, director of Podar Jumbo Kids. 
    It was also noticed that 84% of the 4,022 parents who were part of the survey were not in agreement on any kind of physical punishment but felt helpless most of the times. Parents said one of the main reasons why they hit was when the child irritated them and they lost their cool. And this seemed to be happening most often at meal times. 
    “In most of the households, the fathers were working full time and their absence from home left the mothers to take the responsibility of disciplining the children. It often led to spanking to gain control,” added Vats.

    In an endorsement of having sufficient gaps between children, the survey by the Podar Institute of Education found that larger the age difference between siblings, lesser was the beating.

    School principals across the city told TOI that they often end up counselling parents on how to discipline their children. “So many parents have ended up thrashing their children in front me and we had to intervene,” said Lalitha Hariharan, principal of Rizvi Springfield School, Bandra (W). “Parents are always frustrated but they need to find alternative ways of disciplining their children. Hitting children does not put across the point. Instead, children end up rebelling against their parents.”

    Parents’ associations, too, are worried. “Often parents come and ask for help in counselling their children when, in fact, they need counselling too,” said Lata Nair, vice-president of PTA United Forum.

courtesy (visited 7.11.12)

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2012/11/01&PageLabel=4&EntityId=Ar00401&ViewMode=HTML