Discipline? Why Bother?

The Canadian Senate has just pass a bill.

"Bill S-209, which needs House approval to be made into law, proposes to eliminate Section 43 of Canada's Criminal Code, which allows parents, teachers and caregivers to use reasonable force to discipline a child and correct their behaviour"

I think that they have gone too far. I thought that what we had before was a good balance. What they are effectively doing is removing consequences. Without consequences children will not learn what acceptable behaviour is and what is not acceptable.

I do not support abuse; I do not endorse beating your kids. But I do think that a quick spank on the bum can quickly grab a child's attention and make them aware of what they are doing.

I have to say that my kids are extremely well behaved; the key to their formation was discipline and consistency. These 2 things are extremely important in the upbringing of a child. They have to know their boundaries. They also have to know that there are consequences to over-stepping their boundaries. I have seldom needed to spank my kids, but they have gotten countless time outs. When they were really young, I implemented the 1-2-3 method. It has worked like a charm. It was almost like they knew instinctively that 3 was the end game. I don't recall ever having to tell them.

To reiterate, I'm not suggesting that you spank your kids, I conveying that once again the government is legislating common sense. But the price to pay will be unruly kids, which will grow up to be unruly teenagers, who in time will become unruly adults. What a great place this will be to live.

Take a walk around the city and pay attention to the teenagers. How many of them "respect" their elders. How many of them speak kindly to strangers. I know that their are some out there, some.