When I was a kid, I was anti-spanking. Now that I’m an adult, I realize sometimes it’s the best way to communicate to a child of about ~3 - ~6 that they’ve disobeyed in a way that is very serious. Perhaps the Liberal (and other) senators who passed this senate bill never grew up?
Not having read the bill, I wonder if it also disallows two consenting adults spanking each other. Curious minds may wonder…
Anyway, the brats in the House of Commons ought to put the boots to this bill, paddle the behind of the senators who were naughty, and send them back to their chamber crying, to think about what they did. It’s not too late to start to teach them how to treat their fellow Canadians.
Also, instead of O Canada, expect senators to sing:
I am special, I am special, look at me, look at me…
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Here’s another take on the ruling/real-parody.
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I also can’t believe this wasn’t written by The Onion! A child sues her dad for punishing her for inappropriate Internet use, and WINS? WTH? In Canada no less. We’re doomed. Surrender to the children. No wonder we let senators run the country, not even our judges can stand up to bratty 12 year olds.
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Hat tip to Kateland
@hotmail.com
![[EFC Blue Ribbon - Free Speech Online]](http://www.efc.ca/images/efcfreet.gif)
jeff davidson | 19-Jun-08 at 5:19 pm | Permalink
as a fellow adult with 2 children aged 10 and 3, i have never needed to spank my kids to teach them anything.
i hope that you reconsider the need to physically assault any children that you may have in the future.
jeff davidson | 19-Jun-08 at 5:22 pm | Permalink
ps. i have no objections to any spanking that you and any future mrs. sask boy may wish to explore… just don’t inflict it on your sprouts, veggies or otherwise.
Saskboy | 19-Jun-08 at 5:43 pm | Permalink
Jeff, I’d have to meet your children to know if your opinion of obedience and respect meets my own. But since you claim to be successful, can you offer any suggestions for teaching important behaviours and respect for authority in young children? How did you go about learning to transfer the knowledge, or were you and your partner naturals in completely non-violent human behaviour modification?
How do you assert that you are in charge, and they will have consequences if they intentionally act out in damaging ways?
Also, I see a distinct line between a parent who is assaulting/beating their children, and one who uses a swat on the behind for a kid who has been reasoned with and told to stop something, and yet refuses to obey at their own and others’ peril.
ScruffyDan | 19-Jun-08 at 9:33 pm | Permalink
I have to agree with Saskboy on this one. Though there obviously exists a line between discipline and abuse that should never be crossed.
RobertJago | 20-Jun-08 at 12:09 am | Permalink
“How do you assert that you are in charge”
The most effective way to assert that you are in charge is not to ‘assert’ it at all, but to simply be in charge as a fact of nature. Be a reasonable and attentive authority figure whose attention your child needs. Reward kids for good acts and ignore the bad wherever possible.
Do that and you’ll see there’s no need to resort to violence.
I’ve taught in elementary school and I’m helping to raise a 6 year old girl. I would never dream of hitting a child.
While I don’t think this should be legislated, I think there should be strong moral pressure on parents not to spank their kids. It’s not ok.
If your child needs to be spanked, then you have failed as a parent. And what lesson is taught by hitting a kid for your own failures?
Aurelia | 20-Jun-08 at 7:34 am | Permalink
Everyone in the blogosphere has missed the point of this bill.
Section 43 is regularly used by abusers as a legal defence when they have been charged. No average parent has ever been charged under this.
http://www.repeal43.org/index.html
Go to this site and explore some of the links, you’ll be horrified at what some judges have ruled is legal.
The Senate is finally doing what is right. No one needs to hit a child to raise them. I have three boys now, two have LD/behavioural issues, and hitting them does not work. Raising them to know that mom is in charge and we use our words when we have an issue.
jeff davidson | 20-Jun-08 at 9:27 am | Permalink
i don’t have many friends who spank. that being said, not all kids behave the same way.
i imagine that our views on respect and obedience are fairly similiar.
we lead by example and we’re consistent in our approach to discipline. we offer our kids choice.
we let them choose which pajamas to wear to bed. we choose the bedtime. pretty simple.
when trouble comes, and with 3 to 6 yr olds it’s often, no means no.
temper tantrums are expected but not tolerated. i have found that the best way to handle a disobedient kid is to remove him/her from the situation.
if my youngest, only 3, starts to scream, i pick him up and remove him from the situation. i then leave him to finish the freak out on his own. they soon realize that the behaviour doesn’t get good results.
kids lose control. our job is to help them learn control.with respect, i don’t believe that by losing control ourselves we’re setting the right example.
Saskboy | 20-Jun-08 at 9:45 am | Permalink
Aurelia, I simply don’t trust the courts to not go after “average” parents. The second story is an example of my very point. If they can’t be trusted to defend children due to a supposed loop hole, then their judgment can’t be trusted to not abuse additional power over marginal, or average parents.
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“If your child needs to be spanked, then you have failed as a parent. And what lesson is taught by hitting a kid for your own failures?”
I somewhat agree with that. Although, as Jeff mentioned, not all kids behave the same way, and not all will act to discipline in the same manner. Also, not all children will respond to spanking in the same way. So long as a kid isn’t being spanked on a monthly [or more often] basis, it really doesn’t seem that excessive. Obviously no lasting physical damage should be inflicted, or it’s clearly abuse.
It’s good to hear personally from 3 parents who have had success disciplining children without spanking. Obviously, there are many parents you can encounter any day in public who have failed to replace spanking with any other form of effective discipline, and in no way BE (or assert) authority for their children.
Chris | 20-Jun-08 at 12:43 pm | Permalink
For the most part - I think spanking should be used as a last resort and if needed do it with some sense of control not in the heat of the moment. I find it strange that in our daily mindset of instant gratification that the youth of our day should realize that there are consequences for their actions - reward the good - punishment for the bad. Some how the second has gone by the wayside.
Submission to doing the right thing should not be out of fear but by a sense of cooperation. Don’t create a law that is plagued with problems.
Cheers