Survey Shows 77% Of Parents In India Spank Their Children

A recent nationwide survey shows that 77.5 per cent of parents have spanked their children at home and 28 per cent of them have admitted doing this on a regular basis.

The survey was conducted by First Moms Club along with Early Childhood Association and Born Smart. The survey interviewed over 1,790 parents. It found that 80 per cent of mothers say that they were the ones who played bad cop at homes as compared to fathers.

“This clearly shows the lack of shared responsibility when it comes to disciplining children, as many mothers are stay-at-home moms whereas fathers get to play the good cop. Not only have mothers said they spank their children, but it’s surprising how they do so despite knowing the effects spanking can have on children,” said Ruchita Dar Shah, founder of First Moms Club

The survey also found that 72 per cent of parents felt guilty after raising a hand on their kids, and 19 per cent of parents said it was alright to hit their children as a means of disciplining them.

Most parents hit their children during mealtimes and bedtimes.

Many parents (76.4%) said they chose to raise their hand as the child ‘irritates’ them, and they eventually lose their cool.  

The parents interviewed were all working professionals and knew that there was an effect of spanking or hitting children.

“Spanking does not solve the problem, it aggravates it. Children who are beaten learn that violence is a form of showing love, so they will accept violence even as adults and will practise the same,” said Swati Popat Vats, member of BornSmart and ECA president.

“The purpose of the survey was not to embarrass parents, but to bring this topic out in the open and raise more awareness about the same. We want to encourage trust based parenting over force based parenting," said Vats.

Also Read: One In Every Two Children Victim Of Sexual Abuse: Survey

Picture Credit: The Ayres Group