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Letters from kids about parental discipline I'm 14 and think my mom is way too strict. All of my friends have a curfew of 2 a.m. on the weekends, and my mom sets mine at 11 p.m. How can I get her to change her mind? In most situations, 2 a.m. is too late for a person your age to be home on any night. In fact, in some cities, suburbs, and even rural communities, there are legal curfews stating at what time people under age 18 or 16 must be home.Perhaps your friends' parents don't care. Wouldn't this be worse? Imagine if you came to the dinner table every night and your mother was slumped on the sofa, drinking a beer and watching TV? Try to be thankful for the fact that your mother does care about you. Sit down and talk with her about what your friends go out to do so late at night and explain why you want to be out late. Perhaps there's an alternative way to have the same fun without being out so late. Is it okay to spank children? We talked about it at school and our book about family living said it was not. But the teacher said children "needed" a swat now and then when they acted really bad. I'm confused. This is a matter of debate in our society. Even as recently as 20 years ago, spanking as a form of discipline was much more widely accepted than it is today. Some people still think it is all right, while others view it as child abuse. Those in the child care and child advocacy field generally agree that spanking as a form of punishment is not acceptable in any situation. Usually a parent is disciplining from anger, and may not be aware of how hard the child is being struck. Parents who spank in such a way that they leave visible marks can be investigated for child abuse by human services offices in most (if not all) places in the U.S. So, to try to answer your question, some people still believe a spanking is okay, but most people do not. My grandma told me that in the old days, teachers used to whip students with whips! This bothers me, because my other grandmother, who is now dead, used to be a teacher. Is this true?Yes, it is, surprisingly. But don't worry about your grandmother. Since you are 18 or under, it all likelihood your grandmother was almost assuredly born in the 20th century. The instances when whips were occasionally used were usually in rural schools and in prairie times, such as the 1800s. However, it was not common. Remember that there were many loving teachers, even in the old days, who got their students to behave without ever laying a hand on them. We can't worry too much about what happened in the old days, except to know our history and make sure the bad things don't repeat themselves. We know more than ever now about how to discipline and how to be good parents in a way that is fair to children. Information contained in this section is provided as a service to kids. Readers should consult with professionals regarding their specific questions and circumstances. |