So, some old lady whose children are probably all grown up already has apparently started a group lobbying for the criminalization of corporal punishment in the home. This piece is basically a summary of why this WON'T work in a country like South Africa. Enjoy:
Sooo, they took away corporal punishment from South African schools sometime in the 90's (95/96 I think it was). Look at where that's left us, children with rights. The little buggers threaten to report their teachers when they are punished. This in turn means that school kids have lost respect for their teachers. I mean really, if I refuse to go on a time out as a pupil what's the teacher really going to do? Put me on another time out? Really? REALLY?! Come now.
Kids go to school and have teachers to help TEACH them. We've all seen the tagline "You can't teach a hungry child". Let me tell you this for a fact, you CAN'T teach a child who won't listen. Now, you and I both know that regardless of your age/life experience there are only two reasons in life that would make you listen to someone - first, you fear them and second, on some level or other, you respect them and think that they can add value to your life. As a child, you can't really tell the difference between these two listening motivations because your life experience doesn't allow you to really comprehend the latter.
I won't get into our schooling system too much, but I think we can all agree it's pretty shite - something a few hidings here and there could've prevented. Now people out there are saying the power to discipline should also be taken away from parents. I use the term "discipline" loosely here, because in my view discipline, to someone under the age of 13, on some level or other should involve a few of the best (depending on the offense of course). According to the people lobbying for corporal punishment to be made illegal, other means of discipline should be used. I take it they mean grounding, taking away of cellphones/playstations/gameboys and sitting in the naughty corner or being sent to your room.
Let me cut straight to the chase here. We live in South Africa, an alarming number of kids don't have rooms to be sent to. Sitting in the "naughty corner" means you're still in earshot of the radio. I won't even talk about the luxuries because you can't take away something someone doesn't have. That's the reality of the situation.
Now, let me break down the practical aspect of this. As I mentioned above, before the age of about thirteen (pure thumb suck number) you do not really have a firm grasp of the concept of right and wrong. Someone telling you that what you are doing is wrong might make you think twice about doing it, but if you have no basis for trusting that person (refer to 2nd paragraph) you have no real feeling to attached to that action. This simply means that when you consider doing something naughty again, you'll be indifferent as to whether or not to go through with it, and then your outcome or the potential pleasure derived therefrom becomes your primary motivator. So I put the question to you, as a 5 year old kid about to steal your baby sisters ice-cream having been told that it's wrong, what would you do? Now, if your mother had lovingly placed you over her lap and given you a reason not to sit down for a few hours your decision making process would probably steer you on a slightly different path. This for the simple reason that the pain you associate with stealing far outweighs the potential pleasure of the ice cream cone.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not condoning violence here. I believe corporal punishment should be used in conjunction with all the other discipline methodologies. At the very least the parent should sit the child down before the hiding and explain to them why what they did was wrong and why they are being punished.
That being said, if you grew up in a household where groundings and not hidings were the norm and you're thinking to yourself "I turned out just fine" then I am thankful FOR your parents (because the good Lord blessed them with a child who listened). All I can say is should I one day be lucky enough to have a child and that child misbehaves and threatens to (or actually) calls the police/child services when I punish them, I WILL put that child up for adoption - and I seriously doubt I'd be the only one. I wonder then if all the anti-corporal punishment lobbyists will put as much time and effort into fixing up our adoption homes and orphanages...
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