I PREFACE my remarks by writing that I do not condone deliberate child cruelty but, if smacking kids is an infringement of their human rights, it is not the only arena where the opinion of the child is overruled because adult society thinks it knows better. (“Lawyers back call for smacking to be banned”, The Herald, August 8).
Which child wants to go to school every day; which child wants inoculations or to be forced to eat anything other than pizza? Which teenager wants to be told that drink and drugs are bad for them and pitches up at 5am trashed? Unacceptable behaviour.
Smacking a child is at the far end of a spectrum of parental sanctions, so where will the law draw the line? Is physically restraining your child assault? Is restricting liberty assault? They both infringe the human right of self-determination. Is it OK to drag a screaming child upstairs and lock them in a bedroom? What about the psychological trauma caused?
It’s time we recognised that we don’t live in a theoretical world but a real one and its not pink and fluffy. What does the parent do when the child says: “Take your naughty step and shove it.”
There are greater problems that merit attention, such as victims of repeated physical abuse who are more likely to fed from food-banks and flunk school.
David J Crawford, Flat 3/3,
131 Shuna Street, Glasgow.
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