New Zealand parents want their right to spank back
Rationally, most parents know that hitting a child is not a good form of discipline. Why should it be acceptable for adults to use violence against defenseless children? But most parents are loathe to make any law interfering with their “rights” on how to discipline a child. There are still schools in which teachers and administrators can hit misbehaving children.
This news report out of New Zealand, where it is against the law for parents to smack their children, shows that the majority want their right to spank back.
A referendum on the smacking of children has just been held in New Zealand and 88 per cent of Kiwis who took part voted to re-legalise it.
Two years ago the Labor Government made it illegal for parents to smack their children as a form of discipline and the law generated emotional debate. Many parents believe the law has eroded their rights, while child advocates say it is making a positive difference.
Now, despite the referendum result, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key says he will not be scrapping the law. New Zealand has an appalling track record when it comes to child abuse; from October last year to April this year - which is just a six-month period - there were 279 assaults on children.
Compare that number to America’s gruesome statistics on child abuse: Over 3 million reports of child abuse are made every year in the United States, 68% are abused by family members.
Almost five children die everyday as a result of child abuse. More than three out of four are under the age of 4.
John Angus, New Zealand’s Children’s Commissioner supports the legislation in its current form.
”We aren’t seeing the fears that were portrayed by those who opposed the original change to the legislation, that lots of parents would be investigated and that there would be a lot more intrusion into the life of good families by the police and by social workers.
”Secondly, I think it is a law that has given some assurance to children that they can be brought up in a society that says violence against them is totally unacceptable.”
Would the United States ever pass a law that says violence against children is unacceptable? I doubt it. Why are people all over the world so wedded to their right to hit a child?
Aisha covered education and breaking news for nearly ten years before joining the Lifestyle staff where she writes a "Dirty Laundry" parenting column. She is the home and family editor and wastes too much time on Facebook and political blogs. 
Children see no problem with acting up if there is no embarrassment or punishment. I’m sick and tired of such lazy and rude children and teenagers who act as if they’ve put in their dues to their country and deserve a handout, and all liberties granted and earned by educated knowledgeable adults. It’s pathetic. Spank them if they need it. It’s not suppose to be used to “hurt” or “harm” or “injure”. It’s intended to embarrass or deter the poor/bad behavior the child is exhibiting - because the parents don’t care about their children at home to instill good behavior at school or elsewhere.
I agree with Steve, and I’m sick and tired of people, including this writer, that lump spanking in with child abuse. When I spank my child I dare you to try and find a bruise, scratch, or broken bone. You won’t find anything, because it is not abuse. I actually feel sorry for people who don’t spank their children. And I feel sorry for their children as well. You cannot reason with a young child, because they are a CHILD, therefore a spanking is many times (not all) the only alternative.
How exactly does spanking “embarrass” a child? Virtually any punishment can do that - whether it’s making them sit in a corner or taking away their toys. Spanking is meant to impose a physical consequence and teach kids that somebody else makes the rules. Of COURSE it’s meant to “hurt.” That’s the point.
Certainly, MOST parents who spank their children don’t intend to leave marks, or to cause serious injury. There’s a huge difference between a swat on the behind, and child abuse. But it’s meant to cause some temporary pain. That’s why most parents don’t enjoy doing it.
I was spanked, not beaten, as a child, and I see nothing wrong with it. It shows cause and effect. You do something you shouldn’t do, and your butt gets stung. I would think twice about doing something that I knew would get me a spanking, because I knew the spanking was going to hurt. If the worst I had to fear was sitting in a corner for a few minutes, well…. whooptee doo. If your parents are strict ‘timeout’ enforcers, I say go for whatever childish tantrum ignorance you feel like, because sitting in a corner is not much of a consequence, IMO.
b, you sound like a snob. Spanking teaches kids that if they are weak, and they do something that a stronger person doesn’t like, they’re going to get hurt. But if they’re big enough, they can do whatever they please. It doesn’t have anything to do with right or wrong.
Discipline is taught, not imposed. You can spank your kids until the cows come home, but it’s pointless if you don’t encourage good behavior on a routine basis. Kids need to be reminded that there are limits, but limits are meaningless if you just let them run wild without any rules.
Faithful, you have incredible ears, to know what I sound like. Do you have some snobbish text to voice software, or something?
Limits are meaningless if you have no useful way to enforce them.
Spare the rod, and spoil the child = Generations of grief.
b, enforcement is meaningless if that’s the only way kids follow the rules. Be my guest, raise your kids to only obey you every time you raise your fist. Your kids are going to have no common sense and run wild when they finally are on their own.
Thanks for being the one parent out there who spanks just to spank.
My wife and I reared three lovely human beings. These human beings, our children, were spanked on the butt when they needed it. There was no child abuse involved. They got their hand slapped when necessary to teach them that there were things in our home and homes of people that we visited that should not be touched. Today, all three will tell you that we reared them properly. We never had to be embarrassed when we took them to a restaurant or to visit friends. They learned that there were consequences for their actions which is very important when they became adults and faced the real world. I watch children in restaurants that act up and run around and scream and their behavior is supported by their parents and grandparents. I feel this is why so many children today are diagnosed as hyperactive. Our children were taught to sit quietly when we waited for a table and were never allowed to disturb others.
I don’t see any good reason to hit children. The most important feature of any discipline is consistency. When you set a rule, you have to enforce it even when it isn’t convenient. So many parents can’t figure out why their kid won’t listen to them when they keep making the same request repeatedly instead of actually enforcing the rules.