Spanking and paddling often get a bad rap, and with good reason. Studies have shown the long-lasting negative affect physical punishment can have on children. It’s good to know that, based on the latest C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, these forms of punishment are no longer the norm throughout the country. In a poll presented to 1,532 parents across the U.S., the three most common discipline strategies included explaining or reasoning (88%), taking away a privilege or something the child enjoys (70%) and use of time out or grounding (59%).

Researchers also found differences in choices of discipline by regions. Parents who live in the West (31 percent) and South (20 percent) are more likely to spank their children than those in the Midwest (16 percent) and Northeast (6 percent). Matthew Davis, M.D., M.A.P.P., associate professor of pediatrics and communicable diseases at U-M Medical School explains, “Even as national trends have shifted away from physical to verbal discipline, there are likely community cues and informal networks of parents and grandparents that influence how parents discipline their kids.”