discuss How Much Freedom Should Parents Have in Raising Their Children?

[Apsara]

Some believe parents should have full autonomy, while others argue for state intervention in cases of harmful practices. Should governments have more say in children’s upbringing? Where should the balance lie between parental rights and child welfare?

 

[dorkyguy]

parents should be able to raise their kids how they want. I got brought up very strictly and i turned out great and have so much respect for my parents.

However, when it comes to being harmful to any kid(s) or babies, I do believe that the government needs to step in...

 

[Harsh World]

However, when it comes to being harmful

You'd have to define "harmful" a bit more for me to agree.

A spank across the butt that left no mark reported to a teacher is good enough for child services? No thanks.

A spanking where it's irritated enough, with marks and possible bruising, where they can't sit still in class. Yes, it should be looked into.

 

[Shawn]

When I was a kid, I would get paddled in school for misbehaving. That wasn't the bad part. The worst part was when I got home, for getting spanked in school, I got a much harsher spanking at home, usually with a belt or a switch. That spanking was way harder and would go on a bit longer.

Was it abuse? Maybe by today's standards.

Did it ruin me or hurt me? Nah. I don't really think about it unless I'm seeing something like this.

After I'd get the spanking at home, I wouldn't ever do what I did to get it again at school. Now, I got quite a few swats in school and got even more at home. But I don't think I was done wrong.

Today... kids couldn't handle that kind of punishment. Kids are way too sensitive. When I was 17, I worked full-time and was an adult. My 19-year-old stepdaughter is a kid, just as she was at 13 years old, same maturity and behavior, but she is still responsible. She never needed to be hit because she was raised right.

Parents should be able to raise their kids without governments telling them how to do it.

But they shouldn't be allowed to abuse them or make decisions that will drastically impact their life later on.

Aside from a quick swat here and there, I don't even think spanking is needed anymore.

Here's how you discipline. Give your child a smartphone at a young age. They're going to need to know how to use that phone anyways in order to be successful in the future ahead of them. You might as well start them early on it. But when they misbehave, take it away for a month each time and don't allow them access to social media or the internet, that's how you spank in today's world. That works wonders!

 

[NatureFreak]

I'd have to say that by today's standards, parents are not even strict. I know what I faced from my parents while growing up, and yet I never saw it as abuse or crossing the line. The kids of nowadays probably wouldn't be able to endure that.
Truth be told, how kids are being treated back then is different to now, the use of iron fist is gradually fading away. There are other ways parents can enforce discipline with crossing the line, assuming there's one.

 

[Yama]

I exercise moderate control, I am against giving absolute freedom until the kids are able to take care of themselves. However, I grew up with absolutely freedom. my parents never exercised any kind of control. How you should treat your kids depends on what kinds of kids you have.