What do you think about these controversial parenting issues? 2026

The controversy

The website buzzfeed has conducted different surveys to ask American parents about the most controversial topics in raising children, such as uploading photos of their children to the Internet, spanking as a corrective measure, co-sleeping, etc.

Tell us, what do you think?

Amazon Essentials by Sofia Grainge - Summer 2026 Promotion

home education

Can a child have a good social and academic environment through homeschooling?

In Spain, this situation is not recognized per se. The declaration of the rights of children says that all children have the right to education and that parents or legal guardians are the first responsible for it. The Spanish constitution enshrines the freedom of education and the preferential right of parents to choose the type of education that they consider appropriate for their sons and daughters. However, although parents can obviously decide, consciously, not to delegate it, if they consider it appropriate, the LOE does not expressly recognize this educational option.

In the rest of the countries, no consensus is reached either, for example:

• In the United Kingdom it is legalized and, in addition, there are numerous associations that support it and a large number of children learn at home.
• In Portugal, to educate your child at home you have to notify the authorities responsible for education and the child must pass evaluation tests at different ages.
• In Italy, parents can educate their children at home, however, they have to demonstrate technical and economic capacity to do so.
• In many other countries it also has legal recognition: Hungary, Poland, Estonia, USA, etc.

newborns

Is it appropriate to circumcise newborns?

Normally, babies whose parents want them can be circumcised, if they are born healthy, after two days. This always varies: it will depend on the decision of the parents, culture or religion. For example, Jewish newborns are circumcised 8 days after coming into the world, through a special ceremony.

Breastfeeding in public

Is it appropriate to breastfeed your baby in public?

Some people think so; others see it as a lack of respect; other people don't care. As always, both breastfeeding and practicing it in public is a decision of the child's parents and especially the mother.

The important thing is to respect all types of opinions, while we are doing what we believe is best for our child.

give a slap

Would you slap your son?

The answers to this question have been closer. It is true that each person decides how to correct their child's behavior and there are conflicting opinions on this issue.

However, various studies have shown that it is not good to slap or slap them since children who are punished in this way can become more aggressive and may have problems in their development.

Do you want to know this study in depth? You can read this article: Why is it not good to slap?

Would you let your baby cry?

Would you let your baby cry?

In general, it is not good to let them cry because they get upset. It is better to calm them down, treat them with affection and try to know what makes them cry.

However, 57% of those surveyed believe it is positive to let their babies cry when it comes to getting them to learn to sleep.

Would you vaccinate your child?

Do you vaccinate your children?

Most doctors deny the negative effects of vaccines, in fact, they support the fact of vaccinating them since it protects them from many diseases that they can catch throughout their development.

For vaccination, you must know that the times vary in each Autonomous Community, therefore, it is important to inform yourself and give the child the vaccines when indicated by the vaccination calendar of each region.

In our country it is not mandatory to vaccinate your child, however, most pediatricians and the Spanish Pediatric Association advise it.

Medications during childbirth

Should pain medications be given during childbirth?

Each woman will decide if she wants a birth with anesthesia or not, however, ultimately, it will be the doctor who decides. The gynecologist suggests it to the anesthetist when labor is advanced and the woman has dilated between three and four centimeters. It will be said anesthetist who decides whether or not the women are suitable for an epidural.

Caesarean section by choice

Would you schedule a cesarean section by choice?

Cesarean sections are surgical interventions that, although they are becoming safer thanks to medical advances, are not without their risks. Therefore, it is not advisable to choose it, but it is better that the doctor perform it only in strictly necessary cases.

Some cases in which a cesarean section is essential are: cord prolapse, that is, the cord comes out of the vagina before the baby and the baby's head presses on it; placental detachment, if the placenta is positioned at the exit of the uterus, if there is a poor positioning of the fetus, if the mother suffers from heart disease.

If you want to know everything about cesarean section, you can click on this link.

Caffeine and soft drinks

Is it good for school-age children to drink soda or caffeine?

Soft drinks, in principle, are not usually liked by children because of their strong flavor, but if this is not the case for your child, it is best to reserve them for special occasions and give them diluted in water. They are not good because they can hinder the absorption of calcium. Likewise, the caffeine they contain is not usually indicated for children, nor are large amounts of sugar.

Common core

Do you think the Common Core standards are an improvement over the way mathematics is learned?

It is an American system, which serves to equalize what all children should learn in school and create a certain uniformity between states.

The State Standards for Education (CCSS) are a number of expectations that say what students should learn in language arts, English, and mathematics at each stage. It goes from kindergarten to high school.

The goal of these standards is to ensure that students go to college well prepared and learn one thing well before starting the next. These standards do not say how teachers should teach, but rather they dictate what all students should learn.

If you want to better understand what this system is, you can click on this link

Photos of minors

Would you share photos of your children on the internet, etc. However, other opinions are contrary to this.

In any case, if you decide to upload them, it is best not to try to post compromising images. We must know that it is legal to post photos of our children on the Internet - without the consent of the other parent being necessary - however, it is convenient to know that, when uploading an image, we are transferring said photograph to the social network and it is no longer ours alone.

Social networks

Do you allow your children access to social networks without supervision?

It is undeniable that our children have been born in this digital age, so they are natives on the Internet. However, you have to be careful on social networks so that they cannot get into certain websites or put the 'safe search' function so that when they use the search engine, there are some results that do not appear.

Co-sleeping

Do you practice co-sleeping?

Another of the great controversies. Regarding co-sleeping, there are detractors and defenders, however, the final decision rests with the parents.

On the one hand, defenders of co-sleeping say that the baby usually sleeps better, cries less, eats better and a great emotional bond is established between the baby and the parents.

On the other hand, critics of co-sleeping mainly focus on the possible sudden death that the baby may suffer, suffocation or, when he or she grows up, having sleep problems.

In any case, if you decide to practice it, you must do it safely: you should not take tranquilizers, alcohol or tobacco before sleeping, nor sleep on sofas or in water beds, nor should your pet sleep in the bed...

swear words

Would you allow your children to swear at home?

The kids love them. They hear them in someone they admire and they repeat them. Plus, when they repeat them, they know they are getting our attention. Other times, adults find it funny and they tend to take it as just another game. On the other hand, children still find it difficult to express themselves, which is why they use swear words, since it is a much easier way to do it, that is, for our children it is easier to say "fuck" than to say "I'm angry."

To avoid them, it is better not to pay attention to them when they say them, you do not have to laugh, you have to explain to them that they offend and give them some alternative words for when they want to use them.

Education

Is it appropriate to call attention to someone else's child?

It depends, like everything. There are people who agree, either because their parents cannot do it or because certain circumstances have arisen in which we have to take care of a little friend, classmate or our nephew and we then have to draw their attention. There are other people who disagree, however, because each father and mother is different and wants to educate their child in a certain way.

As long as it is done well and educated correctly, do you agree?

Freedom?

Is it appropriate to put your child in a harness and leash?

Here a dilemma appears: do we overprotect our children? There will be parents who think that they must be allowed more freedom from the first moment, that they learn more alone even if we are their guide, however, other parents do not think like that and believe that they must be constantly correcting the child or be on top of them so that nothing happens to them.

As always, it will be the parents' decision to choose one education or another.

Another issue in this regard is the supposed peace of mind (and comfort) that comes from having the child linked to us by a leash that prevents them from getting lost or disappearing from our sight.

What do you think?