Do you know what Corporal Punishment is?  Do you think it is allowed?

Read further for the real deal about Corporal Punishment.

Do you know what Corporal Punishment is?

This is when physical punishment is handed down to someone from a teacher or parent. For example it is when you’re smacked or hit as a form of punishment.

Is Corporal Punishment allowed?

According to our law, corporal punishment in schools is not allowed. However, getting a smack at home is not against the law (although steps are being taken to stop this too). This does not mean that your parents are allowed to hit you senseless and get away with it. If your parents did continuously hit you as a form of punishment, it would be considered abusive.

Are you punished by your caregivers or disciplined?

There is a difference between punishing a child and disciplining them. Punishment is based on the belief that if children are made to suffer for doing something wrong, they will not do it again. For example, a hard smack on the buttocks.

Disciplining a child involves them taking responsibility for what they have done, helping them make amends for this when this is possible, and thereby making them learn that the behaviour is unacceptable. For example, taking away the privilege of television for a day.

Why caregivers may be punishing you?

Children today have a lot more freedom than before. They grow up fast by watching TV, playing video games and accessing the internet. This means that you are very often far more advanced than your care-givers give you credit for. You talk back. You question orders without just accepting them. This leads to conflict and very often your parents and caregivers are at a loss about what they should do. Your parents are also under a lot of pressure. They have to work hard to provide what you need and want. They are constantly under pressure and this means that they aren’t able to spend much time with you and when they are with you, they often don’t know ‘what makes you tick’. So, when there is trouble in the home, parents often resort to smacking and destructive forms of punishment and discipline.

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