Sugar Smacks (How to Discipline Children)

Member Name: harmonyk

Product:	How to Discipline Children
Date:	09/11/01 (96 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: debateable

Disadvantages: ditto

To smack or not to smack? That is the question.

A lot has been said about this very difficult subject but no-one can ever really find an answer that will suit everyone. The government today announced that they would not be making it illegal for parents to smack their child in this country. I fail to see how they could have enforced a law saying they shouldn't. It would have been impossible.

I was bought up by a mother and father who were both very different in their approach. My late father was a good man - but he'd been raised by stern parents at a time when life was really hard. He chose to beat my sister and myself with a leather belt if we did wrong. We never really felt this was unjust - we accepted that we had done wrong and had to face our punishment. We respected our dad - and once our beating had been carried out, that would be an end to the matter.

My mother, on the other hand, was into psycho smacks - she chose not to attack us physically - she would apply psychological torture. Telling us we were bad - not good enough - not worthy etc. She had her own problems - I don't really blame her but I find it very difficult having anything to do with her these days. I think we have a lot of issues we should discuss before it's too late.

So where did that leave me when I had my children? I would like to say that I never raised my hand to them but it would not be true. When my eldest was younger I would slap her leg if she was being naughty. it's as though it was an automatic thing - once my tolerence level was breeched - my hand would instinctively smack her leg. But I felt so guilty having done this I eventually eased off and when my son came along I had almost stopped altogether.

I have to say - my feelings of guilt were not due to the tears my children were crying - they were learning. No - it was guilt brought about by pressure from the world about us. More and more the headlines
were telling us not to smack. So I didn't.

I'm not sure whether it is right or wrong but I do know that there is very little respect these days. School children terrorise staff - parents are neglecting to teach their kids the difference between right and wrong because the're afraid their own children will report them. The whole fabric of society seems to be falling apart because control is being taken from parents. Where will it end? We already have a situation where 50% of marriages end in divorce and more and more women chose to return to work after having babies. Those babies are being reared by a stream of teenage nursery nurses who can change nappies and read stories but what is this doing to families? It is little wonder children are becoming delinquents. So maybe it's the parents who need a smack to get them to wake up and see what's really important - the future of their child or the next fancy car and keeping up with the Joneses.

If this op has made you angry and/or concerned - please rate it and leave your comment - the most important thing is that our children are healthy and happy well adjusted individuals. We are all resposible for that.

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