Alternate forms of discipline needed – Childline
In response to the recent High Court ruling on parents no longer being able to offer a defense to spanking their children, Childline has stated it hopes that this judgement will encourage parents to reflect on their methods of discipline.
Parents are also encouraged to acquire ways of helping their children modify their behaviour.
Childline, which has for many years advocated for equal protection for children in law (as compared with protection for adults), said there is no question about an adult or teenager hitting another adult – this is clearly seen as assault and illegal and charges may be laid.
- Vulnerable
Dumisile Nala, CEO of Childline, said the neglect of the issue of corporal punishment – for example, hitting children in the private context of the home and in the name of discipline – has resulted in unequal protection between adults and children, with adults afforded greater protection by the law.
This is despite the fact that children are more vulnerable to injury and the younger the child, the more vulnerable they are.
“The High Court judgement withdraws the defence of reasonable chastisement (a parent can no longer justify any form of physical discipline in response to misbehaviour or any other reason) but this does not mean that parents who use corporal punishment should or will be prosecuted wholesale,” Nala said.
- Behaviour
According to Childline, research on the outcomes of using corporal and other humiliating punishments clearly indicates that these forms of discipline do not produce consistently improved behaviour.
Children who experience fear of parents, caregivers and educators may be slower to learn, more likely to suffer a loss of self-esteem and confidence, and in some instances, more likely to use violence as a way of resolving inter-personal differences and conflicts
“Changing parenting behaviour is a challenge. Some parents believe that discipline without corporal punishment is not discipline.
“These skills are rarely taught in a formal way and parents do tend to repeat similar patterns of parenting across generations. The temptation of many will be to say ‘I was smacked as a child and it has not harmed me’.
“Indeed, some children survive relatively unscathed despite harsh parenting techniques, but many do not and may enter early adulthood with few skills to deal with interpersonal conflicts and other challenges in relationships.”
- Choices
Childline hopes this change in law will result in all forms of media promoting alternate forms of discipline, offering a range of choices that can be discussed between parent and child in order to make appropriate choices in response to unacceptable behaviour.
Nala said this should not wait until misbehaviour occurs and difficult emotions such as anger are riding high.
“This discussion should be held when parents and children are relaxed and able to share ideas freely, is our advice.
Parents and caregivers should give clear and consistent messages about acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and should also make the effort to notice and appropriately praise good behaviour
