Raising children can be difficult, and with so many opinions out there, it seems to get more confusing each year.
Discipline can be a complex issue, but having no boundaries at all can be very scary as well.
More countries seem to be introducing laws to prevent parents from using “physical force”, or smacking, but no one really knows where to draw the line.
One person’s smack on the wrist may be another person’s child abuse.
This report from News Ltd states that the South Australian police do not regard “minor force” as child abuse.
The problem is that there are no set guidelines on what minor force is!
In New Zealand, smacking has been outlawed, but discretionary power has been given to police.
Again, this creates a gray area that can cause confusion.
According to the above article, there have been marches in the street, and protests at parliament house over the laws.
Of course, some parents choose not to discipline at all, and this is counter productive as well.
Kids need some sort of guidelines, otherwise once they grow up and become part of adult society, they may well have trouble setting their own boundaries.
I’ve seen some parents try and reason with their lids, but it’s very frustrating to see them arguing the point with a toddler, who soon seems to learn that it can be a fun game.
A carrot and stick approach often seems to work, rewarding good behavior, and banning liberties or treats for being naughty.
One thing that I have found that works quite well is to take the kids for a drive, and explain the situation to them, and show them what can happen if they continue to misbehave.
Below is a picture of a recent fun outing that we had.
They’re usually quite good after a drive, and rarely misbehave again!
Of course it’s not real, but if you really want to find out about non violent discipline for kids, you could try this!
