Gary's views

Gary's weekly views

Each week an article by Gary has appeared in the Plympton Plymstock and Ivybridge News in South West Devon. The articles are published here

SMACKING

Every few years something happens that re-ignites the public debate on whether the hundred old licence for parents to ‘reasonably chastise’ their children is morally acceptable today. This year, the government’s plans to tighten up, although not abolish that right has sparked off the discussion once again.

Child abuse is a terrible thing and we regularly hear of some of the most extreme examples on our local and national news. People who are convicted of such offences rightly receive hefty sentences and public opinion is normally united behind those decisions.

Any parent, grandparent, uncle, auntie, or anyone that has ever met a child abhors child abuse in any form. Likewise they realise that children need discipline. For most parent that involves, from time to time, a small tap on a part of the body that is not easily harmed.

This is not wrong, and the government are not intending to ban it. But there are problems in the legislation that they are bringing forward. One problem is that the legislation has a ‘one size fits all’ mentality about it. Children are classed as 0-16 even though any sensible parent realises that discipline is a very different issue with a five year old then a fifteen year old.

But there are more serious problems. Under the current plans parents would not be able to cause the child any physical harm such as scratching or bruising. This seems reasonable and I seriously doubt that anyone would object to the clarification of ‘reasonable chastisement’ in this manner. But the government also plans to make it illegal to leave any reddening of the skin – something that is almost impossible not to do when smacking the usual place of a child’s body.

As such, my fear is that this bill could bring in a smacking ban by stealth. This would do nothing to stop true child abuse, rather it would turn loving parents into criminals. Already overworked police officers would have to follow up reports of ‘abuse’ perhaps filed by nosey-neighbours, wasting their time and probably damaging the child’s upbringing.

One size does not fit all. For some children smacking is a useful form of discipline, for others it may not be. At the end of the day however, it is for parents, not governments to decide the best way for a child to be raised. I realise that this subject often provokes food for though and I would welcome hearing people’s opinions on this matter.

posted by Nigel on Monday, July 19, 2004