What a coincidence that this topic is chosen for the LBC when it is a hot topic of discussion over here. On last Sunday, newspapers reported that teachers are likely to get up to three years in prison for giving corporal punishment to students. Discipline, very much part of our education, sans punishment and reward will remain a chimera if teachers are prevented from disciplining children.
My reaction to the proposed bill as far as punishments are concerned is total disbelief. Now, the buck will effectively be passed back to the parents of the children and with modern life styles, what kind of disciplining the parents will impart to their children is a moot point. Further, the proposed bill also prevents schools from preventing students from appearing in examinations as punishment for whatever misdemeanor and this too is a disaster waiting to happen.
I reproduce what I wrote in one of my earlier posts on Corporal Punishment:
“I personally believe that excess parenting and molly coddling of children are making them into what Bikehikebabe so effectively calls namby pambies. Are we producing wimps? Or have we already produced wimps who in turn are producing wimps?”
Lest I be misunderstood, there have been cases where the punishment has been brutal and I am totally against such brutality. But to ban all punishment to prevent such abuse is absurd and not well thought out. I doubt very much that anyone would object to disciplining being part of the education/growing up process, but to ban all punishment in schools is like using a road roller to crush a cockroach.
I am glad that I do not have grand children. If the system is getting geared to producing wimps, I want to have nothing to with the future outcomes. Disciplining/punishing children was and should be part of all childrens’ growing up process and to tamper with that system is dangerous. I may be opinionated in this, but I do not think that I would be what I am today had it not been for the parenting and teaching system of my youth which emphasised on discipline and punishment.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post on the weekly Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium where thirteen of us write on the same topic. Today’s topic has been chosen by Deliious. The twelve other bloggers who write regularly are, in alphabetical order, Anu, Delirious, gaelikaa, Grannymar, Maxi, Maria SF, ocdwriter, Padmum, Paul, Rohit, Shackman, The Old Fossil and Will. Do drop in on their blogs and see what their take is on this week’s topic. Since some of them may post late, do give some allowance for that too!
THere is defnitely a difference between swatting a kid on the bum, and child abuse. I would rather not have to use corporal punishment on my child, but if nothing else works, sometimes that little jolt brings them back in to line.
Delirious recently posted..Yellow Crane Tower
Rummuser Reply:
November 5th, 2012 at 12:14
Yes, I too have drawn a line between acceptable and unacceptable levels of punishment. But I cannot underwrite total absence of punishment at home or in schools.
See today’s TOI :
Stressed homemakers spank kids most
Homemakers are more likely to turn into ‘tiger moms’ and take up the cane to discipline the child.
The system can be overruled by good parenting. The system shoulkd not raise kids – parents should. Nice sound bites but…. I pretty much agree with your stance Ramana.
shackman recently posted..LBC Topic – Discipline
Rummuser Reply:
November 5th, 2012 at 12:15
Thank you Shackman.
I was given six of the best twice by my primary school headmaster for not remembering the dates of enough Kings and Queens in a history lesson. It had no effect at all, I still didn’t remember all the dates.
What did influence me was an enthusiastic and humourous English teacher who inspired me with a love of the English language that has stayed with me ever since. And gained me a good A level pass in English Literature.
Personally I think love and compassion is a stronger influence on people than harsh discipline that either creates anger and resentment or has no effect at all.
Nick recently posted..Secret knowledge
Rummuser Reply:
November 5th, 2012 at 12:16
Different courses for different horses or vice versa?
I do not believe in corporal punishment. Never have, never will. I have never seen it work but have seen the terrible life long impact. Swats on bums sound trivial, but who is to patrol the degree of bum swatting, not even getting into the sexual connotations of the violation.
My granddaughter’s generation cheers me up no end. Kind compassionate, caring and intelligent. More so than we were with the marks on our bodies.
XO
WWW
wisewebwoman recently posted..Questions
I agree with you in large part. As I have written in my take on this subject, however, I think that punishment is less essential than consequence, not necessarily the same thing. Sometimes it is punishment, sometimes it is a different kind of reality adjustment.
One thing that I have always found particularly problematic is the parent trying to psychologically explain the reasons for decisions to young children. When young, the explanations are lost on them and proper authority is the appropriate method.
The Old Fossil recently posted..Discipline
Rummuser Reply:
November 5th, 2012 at 12:16
But, when they are all grown up, they look back and understand and even appreciate.
You know my views on corporal punishment, I doubt if any student really gains from it. I was always more inclined to go for the ‘Hake’ style of discipline.
Grannymar recently posted..DISCIPLINE
wow. what a fine line to walk.
we have some inner city schools in this country where the teachers are in mortal danger for their lives everyday. and yet their hands are tied.
of course one can argue how violent ‘children’ if met with further violent methods from the teachers only accelerate the problem.
but still. i fail to see why a teacher should fear being attacked with a
switchblade knife either. yes. it is THAT bad in some schools.
it is a problem for sure.
i would never allow a child of mine to even be in the public school system now, inner city or suburb for that matter. i would home school and make sure he or she had social interaction with other children in other ways.
hmmm. talked all around it and came up with nothing. a problem for sure. a thought provoking post rummy.
Rummuser Reply:
November 5th, 2012 at 12:17
Yes, that is the sad part of today’s education system. I cannot think of one country that has an acceptable education system in place.
Don’t discipline. Or else we will beat the crap out of you.
Rummuser Reply:
November 5th, 2012 at 12:18
That is music to my ears Looney!
A disciplined child is recognised wherever he goes because the discipline inculcated in him has an effect on his social behaviour and emotional development. I came across an interesting article from Humpty Bumpty Kids that gives parents easy tips to discipline their child. http://www.humptybumptykids.com/7-simple-rules-to-teach-your-child-discipline/
Rummuser Reply:
November 7th, 2012 at 18:49
Thank you for visiting my blog. I like your blog but am way past parenting days. All the best anyway.
Ramana, I was always referred to in Ormidale Terrace as the “smacking Dad”, in some awe by the other kids. Lest others take me to task on this, my smacking the boys was never to hurt them (more a gentle slap to let them know what was unacceptable) and both boys knew their boundaries. What seems to be the perceived view in public is that discipline must necessarily be extremely painful to the recipient. That is not the case. When Craig was 20 years old, he sat down and said to me, “Dad, remember you were known as the “smacking Dad”, well, I am truly grateful for your stance as I see in university, many spoilt kids who behave very badly simply because they know not right from wrong. So thanks Dad”. I rest my case.
Rummuser Reply:
November 7th, 2012 at 18:50
Well said Barath. Those two guys are fully worthy of being proud of.
Hmm…I have had this post sitting up for days thinking how to respond. I certainly raised my children in the days of spanking. I hope to God I never BEAT them. They have all turned out to be loving, non-violent types. However, what strikes me now as the most reasonable is the “consequences” mentioned by The Old Fossil. That seems to work really well for my children as parents. My grandkids who don’t truly suffer consequences have been little brats for a bit, but have all turned into lovely young people. Life disciplines those who are capable of “getting” it. No matter what, parenting AND educating take much thought and hard work.
Talk to me…I’m your Mother recently posted..Voodoo Thoughts
Rummuser Reply:
November 9th, 2012 at 18:17
One always hopes that the future generations will grow up into lovely young people. I certainly do. All of us have to follow our own value systems in such decisions I guess.
Not corporal punishment, but what’s wrong with disciplining? I had my desk placed outside the classroom for a week in the 5th and 6th grades! Didn’t hurt me. If schools do not correct misbehaviours, who will? Detention, standing in the corner, being a ‘murga’, it’s fine …