That’s how women finally got the vote in the UK. When society decides there is a better way to be, that’s when government needs to look at the law. The mere idea that it is ever justifiable to assault children seems entirely at odds with most people’s values. Despite children’s rights being clearly defined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, there still exists a defence in Scottish law of “justifiable assault” of our children. This is in part because the law is unclear. It’s at odds with parents’ protective instincts as they try to help their children thrive, keep safe and be happy.ĭespite the clear research evidence and the experience of other countries, Scotland sends parents mixed signals. (I intend to spend a lot of time with these people so we need to be able to talk and take part in sport while I still can!) Mixed signalsĪs a trustee with Children 1st, I know from parents who call ParentLine that physical punishment makes children’s behaviour worse not better. I hope to also pass on, my curiosity about the world, my love of sport and a bunch of other things. So it’s a role that thankfully has mostly been left behind.Īs a role model for my children, I want to be an educator, a teacher of good values and, of course, a protector. It destroys family relationships, creates resentment and divisions between parents and children that frequently last in to adulthood. Today, we have strong evidence that physical punishment teaches children entirely the wrong lesson. In past generations, the traditional role of a father was the ‘disciplinarian,’ dispensing the physical punishment that ‘teaches children a lesson’. ![]() And when we do fall out and voices are raised, it’s most important the children know I love them and always will. I try to keep my voice down because that’s the kind of calm and reasoned adult I want my child to be. At these times I have to work hardest to remind myself of the values I am trying to pass on to my children. As a father of children, now aged 10 and 12, I know the days when you arrive home from work absolutely shattered to battles with children about homework, getting in the bath or bedtime. Most of us begin as parents with very little guidance - only our own values and experiences. It’s a feeling in the back of your head that is with you wherever you go. One minute your life is largely as you’ve experienced it before the next you have a 24-hour responsibility that never really leaves you. It’s at this point that people ask: “Are you prepared?” While you can get the kit you need to feed and clothe your baby, we agreed you can’t ever fully prepare for the change in your life that comes with having children. Last week, I was chatting to a work colleague who’s about to go on maternity leave to have her first child. Our vice-chair Sandy McDonald is convinced that the law on physical punishment needs to reflect society's values today. Online coaching and use of social media during coronavirusĢ022 Council Election Manifesto Resources ![]() Why Children 1st supports Equal Protection Equal Protection – information for families about changes to the law
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |