Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/whIOaopyp6o   The proverbial sparing of the rod may risk spoiling the child, but it could also lead to better brain development.  University of Montreal psychologists followed 94 children from ages 2½ to 9 years tabulating their family’s parenting practices with their brain development by adolescence.   The kids subjected to the highest levels of strict parenting ended up with significantly lower gray matter volumes when imaged as teens using MRI.  The areas most affected were pre-frontal and amygdaloid zones concerned with self-control and fear processing.  Previous studies had shown a similar pattern for frankly abusive parenting.   Don’t take out frustrations on the kids.  If you’re always screaming and punishing, see a family counselor.   https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/development-and-psychopathology/article/abs/prefrontal-cortex-and-amygdala-anatomy-in-youth-with-persistent-levels-of-harsh-parenting-practices-and-subclinical-anxiety-symptoms-over-time-during-childho