This topic intrigued me when I was reading today's papers about spanking children.Imagine Hamlet being a parent and asking whether to spank the children.That is the question.
What actually determines whether the children should be spanked or not to be spanked?The parent themselves.They are the one who control their own children,who take care of them and shower them with tender loving care and respect.But sometimes,they have to make a choice of whether spanking actually works for the better or for the worse.This is the debate of the modern society where times have changed from the traditional way(which is spanking) to the new-age way of comforting children when they make mistakes.
Senior minister Mr Goh said that children are nowadays,children are being pampered and taken care of too much by their own parents,implying the possibility of an era where children become 'fragile like strawberries' when they go out and face reality.This is true to the extend that the parents ACTUALLY know how to take care of them well enough so they won't become 'fragile like strawberries' the time when they meet the world.As more new-age parents appear out of the blue,some might wonder whether children nowadays should be taught the 'soft' way instead of the 'hard' way of spanking.That brings me to my point of 'What is wrong with the disciplinary methods imposed towards the children nowadays,when the oldern tradition of spanking,scolding and simply doing as you were told were par for the course?'(The Sunday Times,7th March,'To cane...or not to cane a child')
Now,many parents are reading self-help books on parenting or attending talks organised by associations that teach them about parenting methods,which leads to a perception that a certain method is useful and should be used.This is mainly for the soft approach of allowing freedom for the children to voice out their opinions and views(imagine Super Nanny to the rescue),which is the trend for parents who feel children should be seen and heard.Parents these days allow children more freedom of speech and spend more time with them instead of using the forceful and 'just-do-it' approach of spanking.
Thoughts on the much-debated physical punishment have been ignored by some who have never spanked their children before.One of the parents,Elaine Lau,32,believes in motivating her children to make their own decisions,encouraging them to have a say in matters rather than have them merely understanding and following instructions,or even following instructions the children may not understand much.
Indeed,experts have also voiced their opinion that parents rationalize the possibilities of whether to spank children.Working parents want their children to have a memorable time with them,therefore not being harsh with them.Also,experts point out that with different media,children now develop faster and must be taught differently.Nevertheless,it depends on the parents is they want the easy way or the hard way.
However,for every new-age parent,there is of course a traditional parent who believes the hard way can solve all troubles relating to discipline.These parents are mainly those who have experienced this kind of torture towards themselves before.They feel that what their parents have done is grooming themselves into proud parents who do well in anything,therefore imparting this sense into their own children.However,it is the same factor that leads to some parents thinking that spanking is tough for the children because they have felt it before.
What do you feel about it?Comment on it.Till then. Signing off, chocolocoroco the sweet things in life
