Parenting & Spanking...

Before completing this assignment, please read the following article and consider the others provided below:

Paul, P. (2006, May 8). Is Spanking O.K.? - TIME. Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews - TIME.com. Retrieved September 17, 2010, from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1191825,00.html 

Prompt: There is an ongoing debate on the impact of specific parenting styles and methodology.  As stated in "Is Spanking O.K.?" "Few parenting topics inflame emotions the way spanking does. Parents who do it argue that occasional spanking is an important disciplinary tool. Parents who don't do it say hitting a child teaches that violence is O.K."  It appears then, that different methods of parenting seem to work for different people, but are they really working?  Proponents of spanking notoriously state, "spare the rod, spoil the child" and point to the fact that spanking worked for them, that some children need a more harsh style of discipline because children today exhibit more aggression and less deference to authority figures.  Opponents of spanking state that it leads to intense fear of the parent, abuse, further aggression and other maladaptive behaviors. There is judgment everywhere, from both sides: children who aren't spanked are overindulged and children that are just find better ways to misbehave...

Question: So which is it?  Which parenting style (authoritarian, authoritative or permissive) is more effective? Why?AND Which method of discipline is more effective?

CAUTION: When answering the question, think about your own parents but I am not looking for a retelling of the discipline you received as a child.  You need to explain and explore the role of these differing parenting styles and then make a judgment of your own.  Your experience may be relevant but it should not be the bulk of you response!

Additional Resources:

Baumrind, D. (1966). Effects of Authoritative Parental Control on Child Behavior, Child Development, 37(4), 887-907. baumrind_1966_parenting.pdf

Black, R. (n.d.). Spanking makes kids perform better in school, helps them become more successful: study. New York News, Traffic, Sports, Weather, Photos, Entertainment, and Gossip - NY Daily News. Retrieved September 17, 2010, from http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2010/01/04/2010-01-04_spanking_makes_kids_perform_better_in_school_study.html 

Joelving, F. (n.d.). Partner abuse tied to spanking kids | Reuters. Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com. Retrieved September 17, 2010, from http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67M1VC20100823