Natural Papa » kids

Surviving a Summer Family Road Trip: 13 Tips for Traveling with Kids

Derek Markham — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:42:45 +0000

Summer seems to be the season for family road trips, which will most definitely add adventure and education to your kids’ lives. It can also bring sibling confrontations, marital difficulties, overheating, and repeated cries of “Stop, I have to pee!” coming from the backseat.

We’ve had our share of epic road trips with kids, and now we’re able to pretty much handle any situation as it comes up on the road – anything from fixing the vehicle to emergency poop management to picking up roadside trash or having an impromptu picnic.

If you’re fortunate enough to have a great air conditioner in your car, some of this won’t apply to your situation, but if you’re like us at all (driving an older vehicle with no AC and a window that won’t roll down), I think you’ll find these summer travel tips pretty handy.

Staying Cool on the Road:

Reflective insulation in the back windows: I bought some bubble insulation at the hardware store several years ago that has silver foil on one side, and I put these in the back side windows (usually just held up with luggage, but double sided tape works great) to keep the sun from blasting in the back of the vehicle and roasting the kids.
Cover the cooler: We invested in a couple of big heavy duty coolers which have served us well on family road trips and camping adventures. Solid ice (like a frozen gallon jug of water) lasts much longer than cubes, so we make our own. Once the cooler is loaded in the vehicle, it gets covered with a strip of bubble insulation and an old blanket to keep the heat from getting to the contents very quickly.
The mister is your savior: A plastic misting bottle from the garden center or personal care section of the drug store will help to keep you and your kids cool in the car in the worst heat. Spritz over faces, necks, arms and legs, wherever, while driving. They’re usually cheap, so think about getting one for your kid as well – it will probably occupy them for quite some time.
Bandanna as cooling device: We usually have a bunch of bandannas with us for use as cloth napkins, but they also make an excellent cooling accessory, so they end up around our necks. Soak the bandanna, roll it up and tie it around your neck and let the evaporation cool you off. Or fill one with ice and pass it around for a refreshing break at mealtime.
Keep your water cool: I love steel water bottles, and we each have our own that we bring for our personal drinking water supply. But when they sit in the sun, they get hot fast. Keeping your water in the shade is the first defense, but if it’s still getting hot, wrap a wet bandanna around the water bottle and let it evaporate and cool the bottle off. We also have a couple of gallons as a refill for our water bottles, and those always get buried under sleeping bags or pillows or blankets to stay cool.

Taking Care of Business:

A true porta-pottie: When traveling, the urge never comes when you’re in sight of a rest stop bathroom, so being prepared for bathroom duty makes it easier to deal with. We practice infant potty training with our kids, so we got used to bringing a quart sized yogurt container (with lid) with us for bathroom breaks. As they got older, we brought a half-gallon container for the road. This comes in really handy when the weather is bad outside, or too many people are around to just go outdoors. A sports-drink bottle makes a good urine container for boys and men – just make sure the lids are on tight before driving!
Toilet paper and baggie: Even when we need to dig a scat-hole on a road trip, we pack our toilet paper back out with us in a plastic baggie that stays with the toilet paper as we travel.
Getting clean: Using a spray bottle and washcloth or bandanna is the easiest way to wash hands and faces with a minimal amount of water while traveling.
Trash bags: Having a trash or recycle bag within reach keeps the floor of the car from looking like a disaster – and comes in handy while picking up roadside litter.

Keeping Your Cool on the Road:

Surprise them!: Before you leave, remember to bring something for your kids that they have never seen before. It doesn’t have to be new, it just has to be new to them at that time. At the right moment on the trip, usually right before they have a meltdown, surprise them with it. Crafty things are excellent, as are pads of paper and pencils, or Legos, or a food that’s fun to eat. It’s not bribery, it’s distraction…
Tunes and games can bring you together: Bring some of your favorite family music for a singalong, or play “Going to grandma’s house” or 20 questions. It’s much harder to get annoyed at each other when you’re all engaged in an activity you enjoy.
Got your stash?: Papas and mamas need their own stash. Seriously. Pack it with treats you’ll enjoy, and break it out when the kids are busy or asleep – you won’t have to share.
Remember that you’re friends: Your partner, who’s either dealing with the kids when you’re driving, or driving while you’re with the kids, is just as tired of being stuck in a car as you are, so give them a break. Especially if you’re not getting one…

P.S. Got a basic tool kit and first aid kit in your car?

Do you have any family summer road trip survival tips to share?

Image: anyjazz65 at Flickr

Wide Variety of Kid’s Fruit Juices and Foods Contain Lead

Derek Markham — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 20:12:06 +0000

There is no safe level of exposure to lead, and it accumulates in the body through multiple exposures and from multiple sources. This toxin continues to be released into our environment from decades of lead-based pesticide application, the use of leaded gasoline and lead paint, and through our practice of burning coal in electrical power plants. And now we’re finding out that it’s in our kids food.

On June 9 the Environmental Law Foundation (“ELF”) filed Notices of Violation of California Proposition 65 Toxics Right to Know law, alleging lead was found in a variety of children’s and baby foods. The specific food categories included apple juice, grape juice, packaged pears and peaches (including baby food), and fruit cocktail. Perhaps most disappointingly, many organic products had detectable levels of lead in them. A complete list of the companies and products named appears with the notice and is located on the ELF website.

What Adults Can Learn from Kids

Derek Markham — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:30:33 +0000

I’m quite addicted to the TED Talks. I frequently watch several at one sitting, and I think there’s something there for everyone. I highly recommend them.

This latest discovery is a talk given by 12 year-old Adora Svitak about what adults can learn from kids:

“Child prodigy Adora Svitak says the world needs “childish” thinking: bold ideas, wild creativity and especially optimism. Kids’ big dreams deserve high expectations, she says, starting with grownups’ willingness to learn from children as much as to teach.”

I love the message here: the learning (the teaching) should be reciprocal. Adults should be learning from kids, not just the other way around.

12 Quick and Easy Natural Snack Ideas for Kids

Derek Markham — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:00:00 +0000

Feeding your kids natural snacks that are fast and easy to prepare can be a challenge for fathers who aren’t so natural in the kitchen.

Depending on how often you prepare food for your kids, the chorus of “I’m hungryyy… what can I have to eat?” may make you grab for your keys and wallet, or head straight for the pantry with a puzzled look on your face. Maybe you need some quick and easy natural snack ideas?

I know some dads are a whiz in the kitchen, so if that’s you, just skip to the comments and leave one telling me what your preferred ‘papa snacks’ are.

In my house, I’ve found that mama may not always approve of the timing or choice of food, but she’s always grateful that I fed them, so don’t let that hold you back. Get some grub in those little bellies!

12 quick and easy natural snack ideas from the Natural Papa kitchen:

Keep a bowl full of fresh organic fruit within reach of your children, washed and ready to eat. Fruit is a great hit with most kids, and a blood sugar boost may be just what they need for a natural attitude adjustment. We like to buy seasonally, and by the case when we can, and then we always have it on hand.
Raisins and sunflower seeds are cheap, available just about anywhere, and taste great together. Buy in bulk and keep some in a container for easy access. Try some other combinations: raisins/peanuts, dried cranberries/walnuts, goji berries/sunnies. Mix it up in a bowl and give it an official name, and it sounds way more exciting.
Is plain old fruit not exciting enough for them? Try blending a banana with water. Now you’ve got Banana Milk. Goes great with anything. Add raisins after blending, and it’s “Chunky-style Banana Milk”. Add a teaspoon of cocoa powder and it becomes “The Amazing Chunky-style Chocolate Banana Milk”. Get creative and think of a silly name, and you can get them to eat just about anything.
Sheets of nori spread with tahini or peanut butter or whatever you’ve got. Roll them up and watch them disappear.
When making banana milk or smoothies or other liquid treats, put some in popsicle trays or tupperware for the next “I’m hungry.” If they are offered ‘ice cream’ or ‘popsicles’, they’ll go for it.
Popcorn sprinkled with nutritional yeast and salt is super easy if you’ve got an air-popper (I see them at the thrift stores all the time – cheap). You can do it in a pan or a wok on the stove just as easy, but you can’t just walk away until you’re done. Spirulina makes an extra-tasty super green snack and gives plenty of material for funny pictures as well. For a sweet treat, mix some sugar and cinnamon, drizzle the popcorn with alternative butter of choice, and mix in the cinnamon mix. I wouldn’t recommend using honey or maple syrup with this unless you can hose them down afterward. Trust me.
Two words: peanut butter. On anything. Carrots, apples, celery, bananas, straight from a spoon. We buy ours in bulk straight from the peanut grinder at our co-op – no sugar, no added salt, just peanuts.
If you’re into sprouting, chop a little onion, grate a carrot, or a zucchini, or an apple over a bowl of sprouts, maybe add a shot of soy sauce or ketchup (or peanut butter), and serve with crackers. Or serve it as finger food if you don’t mind the mess.
Romaine lettuce leaves make excellent wraps, and can be filled with leftovers or sprouted seed spreads, or your favorite real or pseudo-cheese product. Ours is jalapeno jack almond cheese. Fill one with a banana and raisins and yes, peanut butter. They’ll probably go for it.
Oatmeal only takes 10 minutes to cook, and you can add any dried fruit or nuts (coconut flakes are tasty) and they’ll be fueled up until mealtime. Why do we only eat oatmeal for breakfast? Some sort of food stereotyping conspiracy, I’m sure. If you make a big batch, keep the rest in the fridge and make fried oatmeal with it. Make cookie sized patties and fry in a hot skillet until slightly browned.
Make some of the best banana bread ever, or bake it as muffins, if you’ve got some speckled bananas and a little time.
Is dessert a snack? Try this quick and easy cookie pie, but only if you have time to run all of the kids to exhaustion.

When you hear that oh so common question echoing in your house, make one of these snacks for them, and if they don’t like it, you can blame it on me. (“Natural Papa made me make these snacks for you…”)

What are your favorite natural snack ideas for kids?

Image: Gilgongo on Flickr

Why Dads Need to Dig in the Dirt

Guest Author — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:13:01 +0000

Dads need to dig in the dirt, to plant trees, to find worms, and to grow low-hanging fruit for their kids. Here’s why.

There’s a really nice dad in my neighborhood. A dad who has the time of day for his kids; he speaks gently – it’s obvious how much he loves and respects them. I’m just sure he’s trying to give them every advantage. Which is why I was sad when I watched him in the garden with his young son one day last fall.

The dad was raking leaves and the little guy was doing his best to help. They were chatting back and forth. That part was good.

Then the dad got out the lawnmower. All of a sudden he couldn’t hear what the little guy had to say any more. The kid was getting under his feet and the dad, of course, was trying to be careful not to hurt him. Then I noticed that the kid had a little plastic lawnmower and he was trying to follow along and do as dad did. But he kept getting in the way. Dad was stopping his gas powered lawn mower over and over again to explain. This just couldn’t last; we all have limited patience.

It got me wondering. How many times is this story repeated weekend after weekend from spring to fall, year upon year, across the country? Isn’t there something better for dads to do in the garden? Something better for kids to see and learn than lawn care with a noisy, hazardous, and polluting lawnmower?

With all the awareness that kids need to spend time outdoors we’ve got to do better. I believe that dads are uniquely placed to mentor their kids. Which kid doesn’t want approval from dad? And gardening is so good for us that there is even garden therapy (called horticultural therapy).

In the garden you can:

1. Grow healthy food.

2. Get fresh air and exercise.

3. Explore the science of plants, animals and microbes.

4. Support native wildlife.

5. Demonstrate safe tool use and teach carpentry skills.

6. Build structures which catch rainwater runoff and prevent pollution and flooding.

7. Mentor a healthy relationship with your kids.

With all these possibilities would you rather your kid learn to walk behind a lawnmower?

Decide to do something different in the garden this year. What is it going to be?

[This is a guest post from Alison Kerr. Alison is an American from Scotland who lives in Eastern Kansas with her two teens, two cats, and her cowboy-hat-toting husband. She plants vegetables, eats home-made soup and freshly baked bread, gives hugs to her family, hikes Kansas prairie fields in the heat of summer, cools off in creeks, admires rocks and trees, watches birds, reads books, and invites nature into her garden. She encourages you to love nature, learn about gardening, and aim for sustainability through her writing at Loving Nature's Garden.]

Image: net_efekt at Flickr

Sprouting Wheat Berries and Oat Groats

Derek Markham — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:00:00 +0000

High energy snacks that are healthy and cheap to make are great to have available for hungry kids and parents alike. Sprouted grains make quick, simple meals that are as nutritious as they are delicious.

One easy high energy breakfast is sprouted wheat cereal with sunflower seed “milk”:

Soak a cup of whole wheat berries in plenty of water overnight
In a second container, soak a cup of raw hulled sunflower seeds in two cups of water.
In the morning, drain the wheat and blend in a food processor or blender until well chopped (you can eat them whole, but if your kids don’t chew thoroughly, they just come out the other end still whole).
Drain the sunnies, add two cups of water and blend until smooth
You can either strain the sunflower seed milk, or use it as is (I like it unstrained.)
Add raisins, coconut, chopped apples, whatever you like, to the wheat, and cover with the sunflower milk
You can add honey or maple syrup if you want it sweeter, but I find the sprouted wheat to be sweet enough as is
Try adding the wheat berries to your regular cereal or granola, or put them in yogurt

Sprouted oatmeal is another super energy food. Be sure to buy whole oats (groats), not rolled oats (flakes) – your local co-op or natural foods store should have them.

Soak 2 cups of oat groats overnight in plenty of water
Soak 3/4 of a cup (a handful) of pitted dates in water overnight
Blend oats, dates, and enough water to make it “oatmeal” consistency
Add coconut flakes and hemp seeds to taste
Sprinkle with cinnamon

Buy in bulk for the best prices and freshest grains. Most co-ops and natural foods stores will special order 25 or 50 pound bags for you, usually at a cheaper price than the shelf price. The grains will keep for a long time if they are kept cool and dark, and a 25 pound bag of wheat will fit nicely in a 5 gallon bucket. Most 5 gallon buckets will stack on top of each other neatly and only take up a small amount of room. Bulk purchasing is a cheaper way to provide your children with nutritious meals, and having lots of the staple foods around makes it easy to improvise at mealtime.

Learn more about sprouting: How to Grow Sprouts at Home for Low Cost Nutritious Meals

Image: mr.bologna at Flickr

Get Some One on One Time with Your Kids

Derek Markham — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:13:53 +0000

As a father, it’s important to get some time with your kids, outside the usual routine – a date with your kids, if you will. This video is a little glimpse at a recent daddy-daughter date with my 4 year old. First, she shows us her recent craft project, a doll she made with mama. At the end, she shares a little joke with us.

If you couldn’t hear her joke, it’s “I love you, now hush.” I can’t even remember where that came from, but we use it quite a bit in our house.

Providing for Your Family isn’t about Presents, it’s about Presence

Derek Markham — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:59:55 +0000

I’ve been following the works of Jonathan Fields for some time now, mostly for the great insights on being an entrepreneur that I found in reading his book Career Renegade. Today, however, he wrote about something close to my heart – fatherhood. More specifically, the trials of providing for our families, and how that can actually cause major issues for our children.

“Simple truth that us men have trouble wrapping our heads around…

Being a “provider” isn’t all about money, it’s also about “providing” love, attention, support, inspiration, compassion and guidance.

It’s about being there to snuggle and hug, to listen and play, to encourage dreams, and to foster within our kids an understanding, through our actions, that these are the things being a parent is all about. And, that, despite the fact that we need to work, we love, more than anything else, to be with them. That’s pretty hard to do when you’re never there or worse, when you’ve become so alienated from your kids, you’d all “prefer” to be apart.”

His analogy is right on – we shouldn’t be providing presents, but rather “presence”. I’ve written before about the value of being present with our children (with our partner as well), and I highly recommend reading Jonathon’s article, “Daddies Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Strangers” and leave him a comment (or leave one here, if you wish).

I made the choice this year to be self employed, in part for the flexibility that it gives me in being more in touch with my kids and my wife, and also because I can work from home, which makes me more available to them. I completely identified with the guy “Peter” that Jonathan talks about when I was working for someone else, and I’ve been able to make an effort toward being more present with my kids since then. However, I still spend way more time working than I should, because the pressure to provide the basic necessities for my family weigh heavily on me.

Reading other people’s accounts of struggling with the work/life balance can make it seem less lonely, and we can help each other by sharing our experiences. What I want to know, dads, is how you have learned to juggle the demands of work and family? Or, if you haven’t learned that yet, what are you struggling with?

Image: Neeta Lind at Flickr

Fatherhood: 100 Ways to be a Better Father

Derek Markham — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 05:13:58 +0000

Fatherhood is a tricky proposition. We all want to be great dads, but chances are, our fathers never sat down with us and taught us how to be one.

And we don’t necessarily want to be our fathers. I mean, we want to emulate their positive influence on us, but we also want to do it our own way. And because children tend to spend more of their time with their mother, not being the greatest dad ever isn’t as obvious. No matter who we are, though, we can always improve our relationship with our kids and our spouse, and we can redefine the meaning of fatherhood each and every day.

There’s not as big of a movement toward better ‘fathering’ as there is toward better mothering. No big fancy fatherhood magazines, no Oprah for dads, no real exchange of fatherhood improvement programs. There’s just Natural Papa. (I’m kidding. There’s a bunch of great dad blogs out there.)

I’m a crappy dad sometimes, yet I hope that I’m always learning how to be a better father, so I felt moved to put some of my thoughts on fatherhood down in words to share with you.

I read a post called ‘Tackle Any Issue With a List of 100′, by Luciano Passuello, a couple of weeks ago, and then later I came across ’100 Ways To Live A Better Life, by Dragos, which was inspired by ’100 Ways to Be a Better Leader’, by Mike King, which was inspired by ’100 Ways To Show Boldness’, by Armen, which was originally inspired by… You guessed it, Luciano’s post about lists of 100. Whew. Got that straight?

Anyway, after reading those, I thought I would format my ideas on fatherhood into my own list of 100. If you have something to add, I’d love a comment about it.

100 Ways to be a Better Father

Be present with your children.
Heap lavish amounts of praise on your kids.
Focus on the positive when speaking to your children.
Say I love you. A lot.
Don’t be afraid to show your emotions to your family.
Work on improving your relationship with your wife or partner.
Take time out from work for family time.
Laugh at yourself. All the time.
Listen to your kids with all of your attention.
Learn new things by teaching your children about them.
Start a personal journal.
Hold your kids accountable for their actions and words, but don’t use punishment to teach..
Leave your watch and daytimer on your desk sometimes.
Make a meal for your family.
Do something wacky and unpredictable in front of your kids.
Spend some time one-on-one with your child.
Get moving. Have a fitness plan in place and get your kids to join in.
Take more walks, and leave the car at home.
Fall in love with your wife. Again.
Admit you’re wrong when you are.
Forgive your dad for any grudges you hold against him.
Teach a new dad what you’ve learned so far.
Take time for yourself, so you can bring that sense of fulfillment with you to the family.
Remember what you hated to hear from your parents as a kid and vow to be different.
Read out loud to your children.
Leave your work issues at your job. Don’t dump on your kids because your day was bad.
Drop your change in a jar each day. When full, open a savings account for your child.
Once in a while, ask your kids what you can do better. Then do it better.
Hugs and kisses are golden. Be generous.
Let your kids make their own choices.
Get out in nature with the family.
Count to 10 before you react to your children’s actions.
Remember that kids mirror our actions, so watch what you say to or around them.
Parenting is a shared responsibility. Jump in and do something mom normally does.
Learn from your elders – ask them what they’ve learned as fathers.
When a child does something not so nice, separate their actions from them in your mind. A child is never bad, even though their actions may be.
The next time you feel like giving up on something, do it anyway and use it as a teaching moment.
Remember that everyone is somebody’s child.
Listen to yourself. Do you sound like your dad? Is that a good thing?
Give yourself a break. I haven’t met a father yet who doesn’t make mistakes.
Unplug the TV and pretend it’s broken once in a while. Or hide it.
Go with your child to school once in a while. Meet the teacher and ask how you can help.
Make your health and fitness a priority so you’ll be around for your kids for a long time.
Teach the value of service to others by volunteering in your neighborhood, church, or school.
Write love notes and leave them for your kids to find.
Read a book about fatherhood.
Write a book about fatherhood.
Make some snacks for the kids as a surprise.
Speak as one with your wife, so your kids don’t play you off on one another.
Do you say yes all the time? Use no when you mean it, even if they don’t like it.
Do you say no all the time? Say yes once in a while.
Snuggle with your kids.
Show your wife respect always. Make sure your kids do also.
Take the time to really explain things to your children. Don’t just say “because I said so.”
Ask for help if you need it. Don’t suffer from excess pride.
Accept who you are, but don’t settle. Strive to improve yourself every day.
Smile at your children and your partner.
Make amends when you’re wrong or grumpy or harsh with your kids.
Periodically assess your life and change course if needed. Don’t be unhappy just because you think you can’t change.
Take a class or learn a new skill with your kids.
Act as if you’re the best dad ever.
Imagine you’ve only got one week left to live. How would you treat your kids? What’s stopping you from doing that right now?
Let your kids see you cry.
Explore every park in your town.
Once in a while, take a day off just because, and spend it with your family.
Find out about your family history and start sharing it with your kids.
Give high fives for each tiny accomplishment they make.
Get out of debt as quick as you can, and teach your kids about the value of being debt-free.
Take a big leap when you see an opportunity, and show your children about trust, faith, and the virtue of following your dreams.
Get down on their level and try to see things as they do. Chances are, you’ve forgotten what it’s like.
Learn some really corny kid jokes and use them often.
Hold a family meeting and get your kid’s input on important decisions.
Don’t just give your kids the answers to questions. Show them how to find the answers.
Remember, they’re never too old for piggyback rides.
Have patience with your children. Don’t expect them to be perfect.
Don’t insist on conformity. Let your kids follow their dreams, not yours.
Hold their hands, literally.
Remember to let your children save face. Embarrassing them in front of their friends is not cool.
Keep your relationship issues between you and your wife. Don’t let your kids take on all your crap.
When your children were babies, you gushed over them. Do the same thing for them now.
Don’t gossip around your kids.
Stand up for the weak, the oppressed, the underdog.
Grow a beard. (Actually, I just put that in to see if you were paying attention.)
Take your child to work with you and explain what you do for a living.
Make something by hand with them. Don’t worry about perfection, just enjoy the process.
Once in a while, give them a “get out of jail free” card.
Tell your children how much they mean to you.
Follow through on your promises to them.
Give your kids responsibilities.
Speak to your children as your equals. Give them the respect you ask for.
Plan surprises for them and keep them guessing.
When speaking to other adults, act as if your kids were listening.
Play games with your children. Let them win sometimes, but don’t make it obvious or easy.
Before you walk in the door from work, take some deep breaths and leave your work outside.
Give mom the day off once in a while, and get the kids to help you pamper her.
Be generous with your time, your energy, and your money. Give freely to those in need.
Cultivate your fatherhood Superpowers.
Don’t let other adults get away with unacceptable behavior around your kids.
Remember the Golden Rule. It does apply to your children as well.
Find your center and define what truly matters to you. Make that your inner retreat when life throws you a curve ball, and share that with your kids.

What have I missed? Please leave a comment with your addition to this list.
Image: Paul Keleher at Flickr

Hands Off! Children Who are Spanked Have Lower IQs

Derek Markham — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:29:46 +0000

The results of new research by a sociology professor show that children who get spanked have lower IQs than those who were not spanked, and those who were frequently spanked show a slower development of mental ability.

“All parents want smart children. This research shows that avoiding spanking and correcting misbehavior in other ways can help that happen. The results of this research have major implications for the well being of children across the globe.” – University of New Hampshire professor Murray Straus

Straus’ study found that children in the U.S. who were spanked had lower IQs four years later than those who were not spanked. The study used samples of 806 children aged 2 to 4 years old, and 704 children aged 5 to 9, tested 4 years apart.

The IQs of children aged 2 to 4 who were not spanked were 5 points higher four years later than the IQs of those who were spanked. Children aged 5 to 9 years old who were not spanked had IQs 2.8 points higher after four years than the IQs of children the same age who were spanked.

“It is time for psychologists to recognize the need to help parents end the use of corporal punishment and incorporate that objective into their teaching and clinical practice. It also is time for the United States to begin making the advantages of not spanking a public health and child welfare focus, and eventually enact federal no-spanking legislation.” – Straus

Straus also says that the frequency of the spankings made a difference, with more spanking leading to slower mental development, yet even a small amount of spanking has an impact on the child.

According to the professor, corporal punishment is extremely stressful and can become a chronic stressor for young children. His research found that the stress of corporal punishment shows up as an increase in post-traumatic stress symptoms such as being fearful that terrible things are about to happen and being easily startled. These symptoms are associated with lower IQ.

We don’t spank our kids, and I feel strongly that parents who spank their kids might just need a good spanking themselves.

All of the parents I know would be very upset if their kids were bullied, yet some parents insist on their right to bully their own kids, and justify it by quoting “Spare the rod, spoil the child”, or by saying “I was spanked, and I’m just fine”.

I beg to differ. Most of those who claim to be just fine are fighting their own demons, whether it’s self esteem or fear of not conforming to society’s ‘norms’.

Disagree? Want to defend your “laying on of hands”? Leave a comment.

Natural Papa » kids

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