In Victoria this week there has been yet another raging debate about whether adults, particularly parents, should or should not hit their children as a form of discipline.
I become increasingly frustrated with this debate as those opposed or for hitting, and most often argue along moral grounds, often leave out the most important factors related to disciplining children.
1. It is actually not necessary to have to hit a child in order for them to develop pro social, appropriate behaviours and respond to the directions and expectations of parents.
2. To hit a child is hypocritical. Most adults spend most of their lives telling children that it is not ok to hit, hurt or physically harm anyone at anytime. To hit a chid and then to attempt to justify it as being more “appropriate” than a child hitting someone else is totally ridiculous.
The debate needs to shift from the moral issues and the comments that I hear endlessly such as, “it didn’t do me any harm!”, ( such a copout response), to empowering and supporting parents to understand and adopt the hundreds of strategies that can be used successfully and effectively without ever needing to hit.
My new book, Practical Parenting provides hundreds of pages of examples of appropriate behaviour strategies. Look out for it. It is being released through Penguin Publishing in February next year.