OK fair warning :o)
Today's rant is about the anti-smacking law - what is up with that??
Yes, I think we all know that it is not good to use violence against children...and I am going to rant on with limited information- so this is a SAHM who caught a glimpse of the news & did a little google kind of rant...totally uninformed & based on the sensationalism of television journalling :o)
Let me just start by saying I don't really smack my kids - I'll confess to threatening the "smack", but the naughty chair usually suffices.
But the problem I have with this "law" is that they are trying to stop violence against children without seeking the cause of the violence.
I want you to post a comment if you agree or even if you disagree with this opinion.....
My opinion on the matter is that rather than pass an anti-smacking law (which I'm thinking would be ridiculously impossible to enforce) PERHAPS the governement should rather ENFORCE parenting classes for ALL parents.
Don't you think the children would be safer if parents were equipped to deal with rebelliousness, tantrums, disrespectful behaviour, lying, cheating & stealing, bullying etc???
I just think they are barking up the wrong tree.
Yes, there are children being abused & yes, we need to do something about this...but if parents who smack their children are breaking the law, then shouldn't they be punished???
And if they are to be punished - how so?? Are we going to send all the smackers to prison?? Then who will look after the children???
And if not - then what's the point of the friggen law??
So, really all I want to say is if the government wants to envade our homes & tell us how to raise our children - they should be part of the solution, not add to the problem.
I say, teach the parents to be better parents - ENFORCE that...give every abuser a super nanny for a month.
Here's an idea for the government....take some of their infamous surplus & put it towards parenting programs - firstly for people already convicted of abuse, then teen parents, then whoever else.
OK, well that's my wee rant...have to put my cheeky boy down for a sleep now - wish me luck hahahaha
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5 comments:
I totally agree with you. They are "barking up the wrong tree" in every possible way! Banning smacking is NOT going to stop child abusers. It just punishes good parents who want the option of an occasional smack if the situation necessitates it. Not to mention the question about how they would ever be able to police it if the law was passed. Would I get arrested if I smacked my toddler at the mall because he ran into traffic in the carpark??
Like you say, it would be much better to put time, money & effort into better educating parents and trying to get to the root of the problems ... child abuse happens for reasons that CAN be addressed but simply aren't.
Ok, I am highly pissed off about this law. What is it going to accomplish??? Honestly. Ok, yes, if a child is being abused, let's do something. But that child is going to be abused with or without this law. Same with smacking, it's going to happen behind closed doors. I get very frustrated with my kids in public and have smacked their hands or tapped their bums in frustration for not listening or acting up. So now I should be taken away in restraints or called out by every Tom, Dick and Harry just so my kids can witness something that would scare them or make them worried about their mother???? Then everyone wants to complain about unruly children and how they don't listen. Well the parent knows best how to handle their child and if that requires a smack if they aren't listening or getting out of line, then I don't see the harm. Smacking is not my first option by any means but it does happen. And now even that reaction means have to stop and think just in case someone is going to dob me in! I am sooooooooo angry about this. I think the government should take on the responsibility of raising our children and let's see how they handle this. It's not an easy job but now saying 'we are watching what you do' makes me feel like I can't be an adequate parent when I know I am doing the best I can. I think they should start giving each household a free nanny for so many hours per month and then maybe parents wouldn't be stressed and tired to contend with misbehaving children where their first instinct is to smack. I give up. I'm going to move where I don't have to see or enteract with anyone. I can't believe that now I have to live in fear of what I do or don't do in public! PATHETIC!
I think it is a sad day when governments can dictate what parents can and can't do. Think that it is very interesting that since the cane has been abolished from schools that we now have major behaviour problems - something rarely seen in the days of old. There are many more serious forms of child abuse than smacking - there is emotional abuse, negligence, sexual abuse, inconsistencies in parenting. I think a compulsory parenting course would be a much better option. I know personally we rarely had to smack our kids, but there were times that it was needed and I would have to say that our kids have grown up to be very caring and responsible young adults with whom we have a very close and loving relationship.
Its always this way - a small minority can destroy things for the majority. I am furious that this law has been passed and I don't smack my kids - they are to old - but as toddlers they got the odd tap on the butt for being very naughty. I was big on time out - so had to wonder at the fact that this could be considered 'abuse' as well. I worry now that the next generation of parents will be "criminals" for daring to discipline their children. I'm disgusted that we are being dictated to by a bunch of idiots who have no real qualifications to hold their jobs. Child abuse has always been a part of society - always will be - its an unfortunate sad fact of life - penalising good, decent parents just trying to do the best they can is WRONG. I seen a women verbally berate her child one day - she was screaming at this poor kid and humiliating her called her a "stupid girl", etc - but as far as she was concerned she was a good mum coz she didnt 'smack' - personally a quick tap on the bum and its over!
Yes, I've been known to smack - usually when I am so tired and frustrated with whatever behaviour is going down. Never feel happy about it - but really it's more to do with me learning different mechanisms etc than the govt banning me isn't it??
My Mr5 can get so out of control wiht his tantrums at times, I do need something to break through and taking his hand and smacking it is often enough of a surprise it does quiet him down to let you put into place the other techniques we are "supposed" to do.
Now I guess I'll be carted off to jail or some such.
I'll probably be the one worrying about it - not the guy or mum that punches or hits with a bat or whatever - the real abusive people don't pay much attention to the law anyway. Canyou imagine some person who normally belts the C*** out of their kid suddenly going "Oh, I better not do that 'cos there's a new law".... I don't think so!
It doesn't hurt to remind parents that there are other forms of discipline and being really supportive of those methods, but really - a law stopping the occasional smacked hand or bum - it's PC-ness on overdrive.
Sorry for the rant but this one really sets me off! :)
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