On sticks and ropes and other weapons of child abuse...

Although a change in the methods used to discipline children

will undoubtedly be difficult for many,

by recognising that children learn through example,

and teaching children to resolve conflict

and deal with difficulties without using violence,

will ultimately benefit our society...

RAPCAN

About which Cheryllyn Dudley , African Christian Democratic Party MP, responded, [they are] "hell bent" on undermining parental authority by banning corporal punishment. "Children are having their rights taken away by removing their privilege to be guided and corrected by parents."

I'm wondering what there is about change that makes some struggle so hard against it.

This dog is determined to keep the stick she thinks the child is trying to take from her! The child is equally as determined to take the stick so she can throw it for the dog to fetch...to mimic what she has seen others do so many times before.

And so it seems to be with changing laws that could lead to less child abuse, since so much of violence comes from ever increasing degrees of corporal punishment in a futile attempt to use it alter children's behavior...for the better.

Children's behaviors are altered through corporal punishment, and its extremes of ever increasing physical abuse, but only towards ever increasing degrees of resistance to authority and ever increasing levels of violence against those who are smaller and weaker.

Since animals, as with children, learn by example, it's not surprising that later the dog tried to take the child's rope.... All's fair in love...

And we shouldn't be surprised that children who are abused often grow up to abuse their own children. What else have they learned by example? How else will they try to control a situation without having learned alternative means "to resolve conflict and deal with difficulties without using violence"?

Children See...Children Do is a video you might want to watch at Child Friendly.org.

Research indicates that nearly all violent criminals were abused as children. Bullies were bullied. Violence begets violence. And nothing is unfair in war... or child abuse...or so it seems going by a few of the recent stories mentioned on "Parents Behaving Badly." Note the titles at end of links to see some of the weapons used against children...or go read them for yourself.

http://www.parentsbehavingbadly.com/2005/10/26/woman-beats-daughter-with-a-stick/

http://www.parentsbehavingbadly.com/2005/11/15/florida-mother-beats-daughter-with-handle-of-shovel-for-watching-tv/

http://www.parentsbehavingbadly.com/2005/11/29/florida-police-searching-for-parents-who-killed-baby-with-alcohol/

http://www.parentsbehavingbadly.com/2007/07/07/bryan-james-bites-and-deforms-girlfriends-three-year-old-daughters-face/

http://www.parentsbehavingbadly.com/2007/03/06/now-you-stab-mommy-man-says-to-2-year-old-son/

http://www.parentsbehavingbadly.com/2007/01/11/twins-of-adoptive-mom-tamika-shuntell-williams-tell-of-cigarette-burns-other-horrifying-abuse/

A Child is waiting.
Take care…be aware,

Nancy Lee