Time out: Spanking babies is surprisingly common, U.S. study finds

The same hands that parents use to lovingly feed, clothe and bathe their babies are also commonly used to spank their bundles of joy.

 

A new University of Michigan study found that 30 percent of 1-year-old children were spanked at least once in the past month by their mother, father or both parents.

 

A long-time topic of debate, spanking children is a common practice among U.S. parents. Previous research has focused on disciplining children as young as age 3, in part, because spanking is common among children of this age. Studies have shown that spanking is related to children's greater aggression, depression and other negative behavior.

But the latest findings show that spanking is used on children who are so young that, in some cases, they haven't even taken their first step.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140316210945.htm