why is it ok to slap your child and yet not ok when a stranger 20 years old slaps a 16 year old?

Question

I've always found this wrong that a adult can't hit a minor (slapping) because than it's assault or a fight yet it's ok for a parent to do the same thing. why?

can you call the cops than if it's against the law? i mean it's the same as assault or abuse but my parents say they have a "right" to do it and you can call the cops and they won't do anything. myth or fact?

I'm sorry but no one is yet answering my question is it against the law to hit your child just like it is for everyone else?

Answer 1

Kids have no rights and parent's think kids are chattel!

It really is assault when kids are struck in anger by their parents and they should be arrested. They are 1/2 of the problem in the US! They think that hitting has no psychological effect on kids!! They are wrong, it has a profound effect on many!

I did a lot of child abuse investigations which involved the chairman when he was the head of the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth, and taught Pediaetrics at Dartmouth Medical School!! So read this!

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;110/3/644

Answer 2

Your definition of slapping would have to be more defined for an appropriate answer on this one.

As a parent there are times when spanking is a small necessity in dicipline. But only in dicipline and done within a manner that is not to physically harm a child. Only to get that childs attention. If a parent slaps a child, as in hand to face, then that is not called for in any kind of dicipline.
Small children sometimes need a curt correction on their activity in order to correct them. An adult should never harm that child only gets its attention so therefore, slapping is out of the question but a slight pop to a bottom on a youngster for correction, as long as its done without injury to the child, is not going to mentally injur nor physically damage said child.

As for a 20 year old slapping a 16 year old, well thats against the law for one reason that I know of for sure. The 20 year old is an adult, and if not mistaken, not related, is considered asult.

Parents are allowed to dicipline within reason. Adults hitting young adults, theres no justification for it.

In anger people lash out and hit. It is not justifiable in any maner for adults that know better to harm another individual in that manner nor any other. Just as children have rights, so do all other humans regardless to crime or punishment. That is why we have a judical system that is supposed to work and does not sometimes.

Parents with children sometimes take the dicipline too far and injure their children, those parents should have to stand up to the courts and answer for their actions against a child regardless of age. In most if not all states anyone under the age of 18, till the day of the 18th birthday are considered minors and not responsible for their actions to a degree. Anyone 18 and over are considered adults and must justify their actions to others.
But as a parent myself, I dont feel that anyone should slap for any reason. Dicipline should be done with a light hand and only to get attention if thats the only recourse. Yet there are other ways to get the attention of children and should be sought after instead of spanking if at all possible.

Answer 3

Under majority of laws in the US, it's a matter of their being a specific defense available to the parent that's not available to the stranger.

First, the slap would fall under the tort of battery, being an intentional harmful or offensive touching. Absent a valid defense, anyone who slapped another person would be liable for that tort. Just like absent a valid defense, anyone who confined a child to their bedroom would be liable for false imprisonment.

Some states allow the old common law tort immunity by relationship, meaning that family members could not be sued for most intentional torts. That would provide a valid defense to both the battery and the confinement. Of course, this would not protect against criminal conduct under child abuse statutes, but that's (hopefully) not what we're talking about here.

Other states that have eliminated the general family immunity still retain a specific tort immunity (privilege / defense) where no lasting damage occurs and where slap (or other contact) or confinement is made for the purpose of disciplinary measures. Thus, a spanking or sending the child to bed early would not be a tort. Again, this doesn't extend to protection against actual child abuse.

The stranger doesn't have either the general family immunity nor the parental disciplinary privilege as a defense. Thus, absent something like self-defense, they would be liable for the tort.

Answer 4

Because your parents are responsible for you until you are 18. This means that if a 15 or 16 year old breaks the law, the parents can get in trouble for it.

This responsibility incites some rights to the parents over the child that not everyone has over everyone.

Such as punishment, locking them in their room, taking away things they own, money what ever.

As long as the childs health is not put at serious risk, it is not a crime.

Punching your kid in the face=illegal
Spanking them=legal
Locking them in their room for a few hours=legal
Locking them in a closet over night=illegal.

There is a very fine line between punishment and abuse. So just be careful.

Answer 5

It is not okay to slap anyone but sometimes children need a smack on the butt to teach them that you mean business. You don't let a child dart out into traffic when you have told them numerous times not to do it. That is a life and death situation and that calls for a smack on the butt to get their attention. If you do it all the time, it is WRONG. Does not sound like many of you have raised any children.

Answer 6

It's not ok to slap a child. It's against the law to hit others after you reach a certain age. It's a rule in our society...a law.

Answer 7

Contact your local Department of Family and Protective Services and a trained staff member will assist you in educating yourself on your rights as a minor and laws to protect yourself. There is a toll free number for Texas 1-800-252-5400 and if you live in another state in the US, that number can give you other states toll free number. Also, website for Texas residents to report child/adult abuse: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Contact_Us/report_abuse.asp

Answer 8

because a parent does it out of love for a child, to correct the child.

and technically there would be a lot better behaved teenagers if people were allowed to slap them good, i get so sick of having to deal with someone elses bratty 16 year olds who treat me like crap and make my life difficult, and yet i cant do diddly crap about it.

It used to be if some little hot headed teen got out of place, people just rounded up, taught that one a good lesson and that was the end of it.

Now we got millions of these kids running around ending up in jail.

Never hurt my parents or aunts and uncles any to be corrected by those in their community.

Abuse and attacking people is wrong, but correction for the sake of the person and society is different.

Answer 9

Its not ok to slap your child.
A young child may need a slight smack on the hand or something if they were about to do something dangerous - like stick their hand in a power point. But no one has the right to physically hurt another.

Answer 10

Its assault even if a parent slaps their son/daughter, actually can be a felony in some states.