Pediatrician Says Try Discipline before Ritalin

"Could it be that America would rather give unruly kids a pill than a swat?"

That's what Dr. Lawrence Diller asks in a recent article. The behavioral pediatrician in Walnut Creek, Calif., said he thinks Ritalin is prescribed too often.

"There's good solid evidence that when you give parents permission to give one or two smacks on the child's bottom if the child defies the rules of the timeout procedure, the family is more often successful with the approach," he told U.S. News & World Report. "Nobody wants to be pro-spanking. I'm not pro-spanking. I just think a well-thought-out spank ain't so bad and shouldn't be banned."

Dr. Bill Maier, psychologist in residence at Focus on the Family, said: "Spanking is most effective when used rarely, judiciously and as a 'backup' measure for other forms of discipline such as consequences and timeout.

"A parent should never spank a child if their anger is out of control, and they should always follow up with a loving embrace and a review of family rules."

From CitizenLink