Her in Queensland Australia they are trying to make it illegal to smack your child. I'm not talking about beating but a smack on the bum or hand to bring your child in line.
Do you agree with this? Can they do this? What are parents to do?
2007-02-15 12:30:14 · 20 answers · asked by the_little_one_said 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
They are trying to do the same thing here in California. It will become illegal to spank your child if they are under the age of 3. It doesn't make any sense to me. I can see if you were beating your kids, but not a simple tap on the hand when they do something they are not supposed to. It is taking away a parents right to raise their child how they see fit. Of course there need to be guidelines about beating and abuse, but not this. It is going to turn into parents being arrested for a harmless tap on the butt. Common sense has gone out the window. Just another way for the government to take over your life.
2007-02-15 12:35:36 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Do I agree with making it illegal. In principle yes. At the end of the day its about perception. What one person thinks is a light smack, another my see as beating. What if the 'light smack' is for every little thing that the parent perceives is "out of line." Is the child out of line if they trip and fall and accidently spill milk all over your best shoes? They didn't mean to and they couldn't help it. Will they get a smack? In your house, maybe not but in lots of houses yes. Laws are not made to stop people who do the right thing. They are there to stop people who do the wrong thing. Laws are also there to create a "bench mark" - a basis upon which all can agree on the line between appropriate and inappropriate. Without laws we are relying personal opinion and on people being honest about their actions. There are plenty of people out there who claim to only apply a "light smack" when the truth is it is a great deal more. I have a two year old child. She is well behaved and intellegent. She has her moments, sometimes throw tantrums and sometimes does the wrong thing. But that is part of growing up. I don't hit her. I talk to her and I use startegies to encourage her to do the right thing.
The problem is not the law against smacking. the problem is summed up by your "what are parents to do?" Our society does little to assist parents to build the skills required to provide behaviour support and guidance in positive, non threatening ways. I went to University for 4 years, have a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education and have attended extensive Child Protection Training. No suprises that I can as a result postitively guide the behaviour of a room full of children. But what sort of training do we give parents. I'm not saying "start issuing a license." I'm just saying that the reason a lot of people fear an anti-smacking law is because they are ill-equipped to manage a child's behaviour in other ways. Its all very well to say to parents that it is wrong to smack but if they have not built the skills to manage the behaviour in other ways, you are effectively leaving them powerless. That can result in a child running rough shod over their family and becoming a right little brat. It isn't fair to call someone a bad parent because they lack the skills or knowledge to try other options. You want to beat your child or smack them on principle with no intention of trying anything else, then I'd have to question your motives. But that's a far cry from a parent who simply doesn't know what else to do.
2007-02-15 13:32:44 · answer #2 · answered by Yvette B 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Whether I agree with it or not, whether they can do it or not, I can answer the third question: parents can find alternative ways to discipline their children.
My father, somehow, managed to keep three children in line without ever laying a hand on us, not even a little bit. When we disappointed him, he let us know with a simple sigh, and we felt TERRIBLE and worked hard to not disappoint him again. We were terrified about him being angry at us, even though he never did. It's very possible to keep your kids in line without resorting to any physical interaction whatsoever.
In fact, the denial of physical contact can be more effective than a smack; when your children do well and get lots of physical affection from you, then do bad and deny that physical affection.
2007-02-15 12:34:53 · answer #3 · answered by big_bowl_of_meat 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I dont agree with it but they can do it. Personally I dont see anything wrong with spanking or something (not like child abuse or beating but just a spank). What some people dont understand is that young kids havent completely experienced the world and therefore act on instinct and dont know how to handle certain situations. They are kind of like animals. They do something wrong, you give them a smack on the butt and I gurantee you, they will never do it again.
2007-02-15 13:21:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well, Yeah. It should be fined, but it's a private domestic thing that can't truly be enforced.
the point is, it makes a good and bold statement to say that 'the establishment and the authorities agree that hitting your children is wrong.'
this sets good examples for people and leads them to hopefully more ethical treatment of their children if they are not already shamed because they do not believe it's wrong.
a bit of shame for a parent who has a hand problem, no patience and no imagination to be a better parent w/o having to hit is good for the idiot.\
2007-02-15 13:48:18 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
They brought it in in the uk years ago, my kids are growen up now so they dont need smacked but when they were small they got a wee smack on the hand or bum to put them right as the same as i got when i was small and it gave me what i needed to behave and to stay away from things i needed to stay away from.
SHOUTING AT A CHILD is far more worse than a tiny wee smack to give your child guidance.
These people dont know what their on about.
2007-02-15 12:44:11 · answer #6 · answered by theemadmonkey 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I suppose its ok to make it illegal.
Its not like some bored judge sits there and out of the blue makes some law, nobody would really need.
Maybe you arent the person to constantly whack your kid over nothing.
The law is pretty cool - just to remember parents of what they are doing.
Im sure you wont be going to jail for just one slapping, but hopefully people will become aware of physical violence they are using against their kids.
Seriously:
Would you let your husband bitchslap you over burnt toast or tolerate a cop smacking you for not calling him "Sir"?
Then why bring kids up that way? Are we really that short of words and ideas?
2007-02-15 12:38:07 · answer #7 · answered by ganja_claus 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I do not agree that it should be illegal. Too many things in this country are being watched by everyone. Next thing we know people will be watching to see if we are driving perfectly and god knows what else. We need so many other laws right now. Also who has the time and moneyt to uphold that law. A discrase and a waste of time if you ask me. It is a law that is not realistic. I wish that the people of this country would open their eyes and see that our privacy and freedom are quickly being stolen from under us!
Rebecca
2007-02-15 14:32:50 · answer #8 · answered by princess_becca25 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I think thats completely stupid. You should be allowed to smack your kids when they do somthing wrong. It teaches them. Thats the reason we have so many misbehaved and smart @ss children nowadays, because they are getting away with too much. And when they do missbehave, the aprents only tell them off but wont give them the spanking they deserve.
Wen i was young my parents always used to keep me in line by spanking me, and it taught me to be a decent, friendly and respective person. Wen i have kids they will be spanked when they are naughty. :P
2007-02-15 12:36:21 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
What are parents to do? Find a way to get their points across without using violence. If they aren't smart enough to do that, they shouldn't have been allowed to have kids in the first place.
2007-02-15 12:55:45 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋