Alan Bright (2003). Smacking children: Think before you smack.Retrieved August 19, 2008, from http://www.familiesonline.co.uk/article/articleview/255/1/36
Anushka Asthana (2008). Smacking children can turn children into criminals. Retrieved August 19, 2008, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/feb/10/children.justice
BBC News (2002). Parents' code to discourage smacking. Retrieved August 19, 2008, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/2351515.stm
Diane Levy (2007). Smacking . Retrieved August 19, 2008, from http://www.kiwifamilies.co.nz/Topics/Parenting/Smacking.html
Martha McKenzie-Minifie (2008). Caregivers say smacking ineffective. Retrieved August 19, 2008, from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10514229
Patrick Gower (2008). Police defend decision to charge father. Retrieved August 19, 2008, from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10503749
Peat (2008). Case study : Smacking children. Retrieved August 19,2008, from http://www.peatni.org/aba/case_studies/article.asp?ArticleID=smacking_children_1_case_study
Rosemary Bennette (2006). Majority of parents admit to smacking children. Retrieved August 19, 2008, from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article644804.ece
Sarah Womack (2006). Punishing children by smacking wins widespread adult approval. Retrieved August 19, 2008, from
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1529321/Punishing-children-by-smacking-wins-widespread-adult-approval.html
Sherrill Nixon (2008). Smacking toddlers affects sleep. Retrieved August 19, 2008, from http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/parenting/toddler/smacking-toddlers-affects-sleep-20080506-2bi5.html
Friday, September 26, 2008
Smacking is good? or Bad?
Nowadays, the debate that is between children’s right and adults’ responsibility has often appeared on our society and the law which can protect children has adjudicated in some countries. In other words, the issue which is about not only protection for children but also performance of adults’ duties has been constantly discussing these days. Some assert children’s rights are equal to the right to religious freedom or freedom of speech and other people maintain that ‘majority of parents admit to smacking children’.
Actually, it seems that the view for the issue is different from in Eastern and Western societies. In Eastern society, that is to say, the parents are likely to believe that the upright smacking is an essential method for their children more than the parents in Western society. Also, opinions about smacking could be shown differently in age groups. For example, parents in old generation may strongly agree with that smacking is necessary to educate children than young parents do. On the other hand, we are easily faced with some situations that non-smackers are unable to control their children when they run riot in our daily life. Likewise, we often come in contact with the news about the negative effect of smacking on children. For this reason, ‘what is an honest method to discipline children?’ is emerged as an issue.
From my point of view, smacking would have more negative aspects than positive ones because it is probably that the smackers tend to smack their children randomly without any rules. As it is appeared in a report, disciplining their children with random smacks and angry words seem to have little effect. And the fact that smacked kids, especially toddlers, have problems to be grown up enough to go to stool by themselves or fall into a fit of convulsions during sleeping is well known as a bad effect of smacking as common sense. In addition, another example of bad side of smacking is that ‘smacking can turn into children criminals’. It means that smacked children are able to imitate acts of adults in spite of themselves and it can be a big social problem later on. I think feelings of humans cannot be exactly defined with any words or sentences so there is possibility that children distort the intention of their parents when they accept it with their own views. Namely, sense of betrayal that is gained when children are smacked by beloved parents can be built up on their minds and it can be grown as hatred against the society beyond their parents. I totally agree with this because I am the person who believes that a person’s life can be decided by trauma which is formed in his childhood. Also, parents might feel guilty and frustrated about the fact that they lost their presence of mind or rationalities and could not control their children.
Contrary to this, however, if children were controlled without any strong restraints, they would be offered the chance which confuses liberty with license. In a research, aggressive parenting style can be a cause of bad behaviours of kids as hostile parenting can be. That is, it is possible that children without any restrictions have selfish personalities or have no consideration for their friends. Therefore, parents have to endeavour to use the adequate method of education which is correspond to smacking and need to decide feasible plans after consultation with their children. For instance, parents can suggest making a chair called ‘thinking chair’ or a space called ‘thinking zone’ first, then give time to children to be convinced of their errors by themselves or laying down a rule like ‘time out’ that can restrict children’s activities within the time limit. The most important thing is that adults help children recognize that they do mistakes and attempt not to repeat their mistakes again by themselves, not by external pressure. Moreover, some parenting programmes which provide the right directions are needed continuously for the parents who have followed the wrong disciplines.
It is not easy to discriminate between right and wrong. However, if something has more merits that can obtain everyone’s approval, it will not be difficult to recognize that it is right. Parents should make deliberate choices for the bright future as well as for their children.
Actually, it seems that the view for the issue is different from in Eastern and Western societies. In Eastern society, that is to say, the parents are likely to believe that the upright smacking is an essential method for their children more than the parents in Western society. Also, opinions about smacking could be shown differently in age groups. For example, parents in old generation may strongly agree with that smacking is necessary to educate children than young parents do. On the other hand, we are easily faced with some situations that non-smackers are unable to control their children when they run riot in our daily life. Likewise, we often come in contact with the news about the negative effect of smacking on children. For this reason, ‘what is an honest method to discipline children?’ is emerged as an issue.
From my point of view, smacking would have more negative aspects than positive ones because it is probably that the smackers tend to smack their children randomly without any rules. As it is appeared in a report, disciplining their children with random smacks and angry words seem to have little effect. And the fact that smacked kids, especially toddlers, have problems to be grown up enough to go to stool by themselves or fall into a fit of convulsions during sleeping is well known as a bad effect of smacking as common sense. In addition, another example of bad side of smacking is that ‘smacking can turn into children criminals’. It means that smacked children are able to imitate acts of adults in spite of themselves and it can be a big social problem later on. I think feelings of humans cannot be exactly defined with any words or sentences so there is possibility that children distort the intention of their parents when they accept it with their own views. Namely, sense of betrayal that is gained when children are smacked by beloved parents can be built up on their minds and it can be grown as hatred against the society beyond their parents. I totally agree with this because I am the person who believes that a person’s life can be decided by trauma which is formed in his childhood. Also, parents might feel guilty and frustrated about the fact that they lost their presence of mind or rationalities and could not control their children.
Contrary to this, however, if children were controlled without any strong restraints, they would be offered the chance which confuses liberty with license. In a research, aggressive parenting style can be a cause of bad behaviours of kids as hostile parenting can be. That is, it is possible that children without any restrictions have selfish personalities or have no consideration for their friends. Therefore, parents have to endeavour to use the adequate method of education which is correspond to smacking and need to decide feasible plans after consultation with their children. For instance, parents can suggest making a chair called ‘thinking chair’ or a space called ‘thinking zone’ first, then give time to children to be convinced of their errors by themselves or laying down a rule like ‘time out’ that can restrict children’s activities within the time limit. The most important thing is that adults help children recognize that they do mistakes and attempt not to repeat their mistakes again by themselves, not by external pressure. Moreover, some parenting programmes which provide the right directions are needed continuously for the parents who have followed the wrong disciplines.
It is not easy to discriminate between right and wrong. However, if something has more merits that can obtain everyone’s approval, it will not be difficult to recognize that it is right. Parents should make deliberate choices for the bright future as well as for their children.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)