Physically disciplining your child will soon be unlawful in South Africa

[RedViking]

Too much spanking is bad, too little is bad. Just the right amount of spanking?

 

[eXisor]

You forgot about deciding on a safe word.

'Lawyer' is a good default.
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[Neuk_]

https://genderjustice.org.za/project/child-rights-positive-parenting/corporal-punishment-ban/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4594208/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/...arents/201111/the-problem-physical-punishment

If these conclusions and papers of experts in the field do not suffice, then 'happily change' your 'mind' is, in my opinion, not true.

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I haven't read through it all and won't have time to at the moment but the very first thing I started reading through, refers to what I would consider physical abuse and not physical discipline. As an example...

The serious physical consequences of corporal punishment can include broken bones, internal injuries, cuts and burns; in the worst cases, they lead to death.

If you are using so much force that you break bones or cut skin, that is way beyond physical discipline and well in to physical abuse. They do state the following which is interesting...

There is clear research evidence that corporal punishment has a negative effect on intelligence and cognitive functioning. For example, children in a West African school that used corporal punishment performed significantly worse in tasks involving “executive functioning” and psychological processes such as planning, abstract thinking, and delaying gratification than those in a school relying on milder disciplinary measures such as time-outs.

I am no psychologist or child expert though, but have never seen issue with responsible physical discipline and believe that the current generation of children are not disciplined properly even when physical discipline is used.

 

[RedViking]

If the modern trend to record people in such situations prevails, you may have bigger problems. How quickly will an employer distance themselves from a person featured in a viral video breaking this law?
This will not go away, and I encourage each and every outraged one of you to consider the possible costs. Just find another way.
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Do it private and don't leave evidence. Mind you.... I got spanked once and carried the scars (blue marks) for a week. I never did it again. +1 for my old man.

 

[Slootvreter]

If the modern trend to record people in such situations prevails, you may have bigger problems. How quickly will an employer distance themselves from a person featured in a viral video breaking this law?
This will not go away, and I encourage each and every outraged one of you to consider the possible costs. Just find another way.
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The moment I get locked up for disciplining my child, he will either be looked after by the mother alone, or end up in the system.

 

[Ninja'd]

Too much spanking is bad, too little is bad. Just the right amount of spanking?

Needs a Goldilocks spanking. That'll teach them not to become criminals.

 

[Willie Trombone]

You know why this is what it is though... it’s because we have idjits in charge of children all too often. Parents and teachers included who smack for the sake of it and because they are angry, not because they care for the child.

 

[Neuk_]

Exaccery. There’s no one size fits all approach to raising children. Anyone who’s had more than one would know.

This is one of the biggest issues with the world today, trying to box everyone in to some or other box, instead of recognising that each and every person is different and treating them as such.

 

[Slootvreter]

This is one of the biggest issues with the world today, trying to box everyone in to some or other box, instead of recognising that each and every person is different and treating them as such.

Yep, everyone and everything is the same as everyone and everything else.

 

[Willie Trombone]

Too much spanking is bad, too little is bad. Just the right amount of spanking?

Yep
Discipline without love is meaningless
With love, discipline is inevitable
But seriously, let parents decide for their own kids within reasonable norms

 

[eXisor]

I haven't read through it all and won't have time to at the moment but the very first thing I started reading through, refers to what I would consider physical abuse and not physical discipline. As an example...



If you are using so much force that you break bones or cut skin, that is way beyond physical discipline and well in to physical abuse. They do state the following which is interesting...



I am no psychologist or child expert though, but have never seen issue with responsible physical discipline and believe that the current generation of children are not disciplined properly even when physical discipline is used.

If you had it would be anecdotal, at best. There is no doubt amongst Psychologists that corporal punishment has more minuses than pluses.
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[Willie Trombone]

Yep, everyone and everything is the same as everyone and everything else.

How to raise communists and snowflakes....
But johnnys mom doesn’t x
But Dave’s dad does y
But
But
But

 

[Ninja'd]

Yep
Discipline without love is meaningless
With love, discipline is inevitable

I'm gonna try this line on my girlfriend tonight. If I get locked up, I'm suing you.

 

[konfab]

How many kids have you raised?

None.

To throw the ridiculousness of the question back at you:
Have you ever hit your partner?

Having kids doesn't give you any extra knowledge on the morality of hitting someone who is weaker to make them do what you want to.

 

[Ninja'd]

Therapists costs a lot more, as well.

By that time it's coming out of the kid's pocket.

 

[eXisor]

Do it private and don't leave evidence. Mind you.... I got spanked once and carried the scars (blue marks) for a week. I never did it again. +1 for my old man.

Kids talk, and their friends will know and talk. Think this through. Will you deny it when a social worker comes around? Will you call your kid a liar when they're telling the truth? How many times will that work? In my opinion this will become an untenable position.
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[konfab]

Yeah, just take all the kids away from their parents and let the state raise them. That is obviously better.

Removing physical discipline != removing discipline.

 

[Mista_Mobsta]

https://genderjustice.org.za/project/child-rights-positive-parenting/corporal-punishment-ban/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4594208/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/...arents/201111/the-problem-physical-punishment

If these conclusions and papers of experts in the field do not suffice, then 'happily change' your 'mind' is, in my opinion, not true.

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4594208/

This was an interesting read as a start. Still busy sifting through the rest. What stands out first off is the age group...why 8-12 years old? Is there a specific reasoning behind interviewing such young kids? I only fully understood the reasoning as to why (as a last resort may I add) my parents gave me a hiding when I was around 14. Yes, not all kids are the same but a lot of changes take place around puberty. Prior to that, I knew that if I didn't listen, I would feel and as such, I refrained from doing certain things as my consequences would be that my butt would hurt.

It also seems that majority of the kids interviewed did not further explain whether their parents sat down afterwards and explained what happened, why they were given a hiding and now understood exactly why they received a hiding. In my case, my parents Always told me that they do it out of love, not anger.

In my conclusion, it seems as though the physical discipline was dealt out at a whim by adults as a quick punishment, which is not good for the child. It also smacks that kids are just physically whacked in front of other kids which of course will make the child feel inferior to the rest. Which is why physical discipline should happen in the privacy of one's home.
TL;DR
There are a lot of nuances when it comes to physical discipline and yet again I reiterate my original opinion: When done correctly and in conjunction with good parenting, it will help a child in the long run.

EDIT:
Can't go through the rest as work doesn't allow me to download those PDF's but will deffo have a read through when I have a chance tonight...

 

[Willie Trombone]

To throw the ridiculousness of the question back at you:
Have you ever hit your partner?

Having kids doesn't give you any extra knowledge on the morality of hitting someone who is weaker to make them do what you want to.

Please don't have kids.
You don't discipline kids to do what you want them to. Usually it's to teach them life and that antisocial behaviour has consequences in the real world. You really should be emulating what's out there in a loving environment for thier own sake.

That aside, please do tell what you would do if your kids turned out to be little knobs and disrespect their peers and leaders for example. I'm looking for real world examples. And please explain the reason behind your choices there. I suspect you haven't thought about this stuff much.

 

[RedViking]

Kids talk, and their friends will know and talk. Think this through. Will you deny it when a social worker comes around? Will you call your kid a liar when they're telling the truth? How many times will that work? In my opinion this will become an untenable position.
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There is more than one way to skin a cat. But yes, don't be abusive.