June 9, 2008
BETTER FOR WHOM?:
A Spanking Might Beat Ritalin (Nancy Shute, 6/09/08, US News)
Over the years I've talked with Lawrence Diller, a behavioral pediatrician in Walnut Creek, Calif., about how society deals with children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He often prescribes Ritalin for children with ADHD, but he also thinks that Ritalin is prescribed too often. He seems like a thoughtful, reasonable guy. So imagine my surprise when I saw an article by Diller in which he asked: "Could it be that America would rather give unruly kids a pill than a swat?" Spanking instead of Ritalin? Wow. So I called him and asked what's up. Excerpts:Spanking is probably the most controversial issue in child rearing. You treat children with ADHD. What on earth compelled you to write that spanking may not be so bad?
I was provoked. About a year ago, a California assemblywoman from the South Bay put out a proposal to make the spanking of children 3 years old and under criminal. I thought, please, please! The reason it gets to me is that in 30 years of practice as a developmental pediatrician, issues of discipline cause 80 percent of the problems that I see. The families that are struggling with children's behavior are also struggling with spanking. Often, they've taken a vow of abstinence. They figure if spanking is bad, then all forms of conflict are bad, and they hesitate to discipline their children. They wait too long before taking effective action. This doesn't have to be spanking; it could be removal of a toy or imposition of a timeout. I am talking about middle-class, upper-middle-class families that love their kids, that have the resources for their kids.
Drugging them into submission is easy. Raising them well is hard. Posted by Orrin Judd at June 9, 2008 3:44 PM
Oh please. Wiser heads than Lawrence Diller were on this years ago.....
http://www.twiztv.com/scripts/southpark/season4/southpark-403.htm
Chef: I know you wanna help your kids, but I brought over a videotape to show you that there are alternatives to Ritalin. There's this doctor in Northern California who is doing really amazing kids with children who have ADD. I want you to watch this tape. [puts in the tape. The VCR does the rest]
Dr. Shay: Hello, I'm Dr. Richard Shay, here to tell you about exciting new drug-free treatment for children with Attention Deficit Disorder. [three kids are in a classroom setting, acting up, jabbering a mile-a-minute.]
[Dr. Shay enters] This treatment is fast and effective and doesn't use harmful drugs. Watch closely as I apply treatment to the first child.
Girl 1: [Dr. Shay walks up to her and listens as she rattles off hyperactively ] I wanna horse. I wanna big brown horse with a brown-and-black tail, and a diamond tiara- [he SMACKS her behind the ear] Ow!
Dr. Shay: SIDDOWN AND STUDY!! [she looks at him scared, then quietly picks up a book and opens it, looking at him all the while. He moves on to the boy in the middle desk.]
Boy 2: [hyperactive] Woohoo, let's go sledding, let's go race and race, let's go! [Dr. Shay SMACKS him too, making him turn aside. He turns back]
Dr. Shay: SIDDOWN AND STUDY!!!
Boy 2: [looks at him, then starts crying] Wwaaahahahah!!! [Dr. Shay smacks him again. The other boy stops and looks]
Dr. Shay: STOP CRYING AND DO YOUR SCHOOLWORK!! [the boy quietly opens his book. He and the girl start reading. The Dr. moves over to the third boy, who looks in terror at the other two, and immediately cracks open his book and reads.]
[The doctor address the camera] If you would like more information on my bold new treatment, please send away for this free brochure, entitled, "You Can Either Calm Down, Or I Can Pop You in the Mouth Again." Thank you.
[Chef turns the tape off]
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Like, duh.
Posted by: Andrew X at June 9, 2008 6:25 PMInteresting equation, Andrew. Good parenting = beating the crap out of kids.
I know OJ has no knowledge in this area and relies totally on his predjudices; but South Park isn't exactly tuned into reality.
Posted by: Brandon at June 9, 2008 8:00 PM"Good parenting = beating the crap out of kids"
Yeah?? Where ya goin' with this?
Dude, it's South Park. C'mon.
Please.
Posted by: Andrew X at June 9, 2008 8:17 PMI have no children, but I am an uncle, and I was a camp counselor for about six years, and a substitute teacher. My dad taught junior high and high school for about 36 years. And he raised three boys. This was his recommendation, and I've used it and it works.
You say stop once.
You say stop twice.
The third time you say nothing, you just move the kid away from the audience/toy/whatever and you talk to them. Don't scream, don't raise your voice. Once they are removed you have their attention.
It has worked for me.
Of course, there is always the University of Minnesota Spankological Protocol. (Simpson's reference.)
Posted by: Mikey at June 9, 2008 10:19 PM