| Without doubt, probably 99.9% of parents or guardians | | | | forms of punishment when dealing with youth and |
| have had to, at some time, threaten their children with | | | | generally the previously accepted punishment resulted |
| a smack. It is not something the parents actually wish | | | | in a rap across the knuckles with a stick as in Buddhist |
| to carry out and are hopeful the threat is sufficient. Of | | | | practices. The use of the cane in Islamic punishment is |
| course today, to even smack a child is regarded as a | | | | well documented for youth and adults. In western |
| crime and we have to look at the effectiveness of the | | | | cultures the cane was used sparingly at most private |
| elimination of the smack. It would be easy to produce | | | | and public schools until outlawed. Many, many adults do |
| statistics to show, either way if punishment was | | | | not believe in punishing their children in any way and |
| effective but we run into all sorts of problems when | | | | many only resort to the short, sharp smack that only |
| attempting to define what a smack actually is. To one | | | | has to be administered on a few occasions as the |
| person it is a clip around the ear or a smack to the | | | | future threat of a smack is usually very effective but |
| legs but with what ferocity is not easily calculated, as | | | | each parent or guardian has to adopt a standard that |
| to another person it could be a punch with force. We | | | | is effective for the child or the youth. |
| also have to ask if punishment of any kind is | | | | The problem is far more complicated when dealing |
| acceptable within our society today? | | | | with the youth of today. They are more educated, |
| Adults cannot and should not express such emotions | | | | more experienced (even if only by the means of the |
| as anger and frustration when dealing with young | | | | media) and their actions are not likely to cause a |
| children who will not do as they are told, because the | | | | problem such as a young child running out into the |
| child is inexperienced and the immaturity of youth is not | | | | road. The youth will demand his or her right to behave |
| evil, it is caused by a lack of experience. | | | | as an adult and even when the parent can see the |
| We all know how frustrating it can be when a child is | | | | consequences of any proposed actions, the adult |
| screaming or just will not do as the adult requests but | | | | cannot turn a blind eye and hope nothing terrible |
| if the adult can attempt to get the child to ask for | | | | happens. The adult must return to the original plan that |
| advice, it will help. Children as young as eighteen | | | | the inexperience of youth can be tempered with |
| months old do have a level of mental awareness and | | | | discussion and the pointing out of the pitfalls any |
| a desire to learn. It is this desire that has to be | | | | planned actions may create. |
| harnessed and developed. Character in a child is | | | | Many adults have been forced to report their own |
| developed by the storing of advice and experiences. | | | | children to the authorities and this can be a very hard |
| Consequently bad advice and bad experiences will fill a | | | | decision to make but if other lives and indeed the life |
| child's mind with very negative content. Not all | | | | of one's own child is at risk, this can be a positive |
| experiences can be good and when the adult is in a | | | | move. It may be a move that is regarded with |
| bad situation it is better to share it with the child who | | | | contempt initially by the child but Authoritarian or |
| will learn from the experience. | | | | Government interference should always be merely |
| The Folly of Youth has been with us since human | | | | preventative and should have as its sole aim the |
| beings and indeed animals were created. The more | | | | establishment of public security and peace. |
| obstinate the child the more likely he or she is liable to | | | | Remember the various Government and Social |
| be humiliated and the best course of action is to let the | | | | Services departments are there for the public to use |
| child be humiliated. Frequently, this is the only course of | | | | and the employees have been trained to assist in |
| action, as long as the child knows it can return to the | | | | most situations. They cannot always get a total |
| adult for advice and a degree of compassion. | | | | solution for every situation but will attempt to do so |
| Sometimes an incorrigible child or youth must be | | | | and this in turn will assist the adult who may possibly |
| punished but the punishment must not be delivered in | | | | be suffering very traumatic circumstances. Do not be |
| anger and must be restricted to the objective of | | | | afraid to reach out for help because, like children, we |
| preventing unjustified excesses. Punishment is never | | | | adults, sometimes require the benefit of advice from |
| an end in itself but helps to restore order. | | | | someone more experienced. |
| Throughout history civilizations have adopted many | | | | |