November 5, 2012

  • Positive discipline

    News

    While writing my follow-up story on child abuse, (Losing Innocence) I came upon this concept on positive discipline.

    Apparently several countries are already advocating this move, in place of corporal punishment, which is a form of child abuse.

    In Cebu, our mayor, Michael Rama, vetoed a city measure prohibiting and punishing corporal punishment as a form of discipline. His reason? It is anti-poor.

    Basically, what Mayor Rama wants to convey to the Cebuanos is that its ok to hit a child because hitting a child is pro-poor, on the other hand, if you don't hit a child and instead use reinforcement to encourage good behavior and other forms of positive discipline, you are anti-poor.

    Well, the Mayor actually made that comment in the context that the proposed city ordinance carries with it a fine of P5,000 (roughly USD122) or imprisonment for at most six months. Of course, the proponent of the ordinance clarified that these penalties will only be imposed for repeat offenders. First time offenders will be required to undergo a positive parenting seminar with the social welfare service.

    Perhaps the mayor's reaction is reflective of the widespread use of corporal punishment as a form of discipline, which is really depressing.

    The mayor's decision plainly shows that he is a populist leader, one who decides based on what he believes majority of his constituents believe in, regardless if this popular belief is not exactly good for the people. He is just afraid of losing votes come election time (May 2013).

    Personally, I prefer a leader who does what is right and makes decisions based on what is good for the people, regardless if at first the people do not agree with the policy. Change after all is hard for everyone, and only a revolutionary is willing to embrace it.

    What the mayor needs to understand is that positive discipline is not tolerating the faults of a child, rather it is making a child understand 

    So what happened with the ordinance? It got trashed, to the dismay of children's rights advocates.

    The basic principle for positive discipline is to teach children what is right and what is wrong. It believes that all children are inherently good and want to do good, and that all they need is direction. Direction doesn't have to come in the form of physically or verbally abusing them.

    What's your take on corporal punishment? 

    Photos from the net | Video from YouTube.

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