Smacking

Parents who smack as part of parental correction; and adults who abuse, maim, traumatise, hospitalise, kill are two issues.

Making smacking a criminal offence will not support parents in learning not to smack if they are not supported in alternatives.

Making smacking a criminal offence will not stop the terrible abuse.

So lets start with the easy one.  This is easy because we are a thinking society and we can do this without going straight to punishment. Let's start satellite groups attached to kindergartens where parents meet to workshop "What are the alternatives to smacking"  "What to do when you are about to smack." "What are the benefits."  "What is the future?" "Will we get a whole bunch of spoilt out of control kids?" or "Will we promote a community of learners who are learning to act for intrinsic reasons?"

Abuse.  I think one place to begin, is with the adults who live next door, the other adults in the house, the relatives.  Let's empower them to tell someone when they think 'it is not right'. Empower them to know the child/baby deserves/has a right to a physically and emotionally safe home. This may be the type of abuse they grew up with too so this must be difficult.

Who can they tell.  Public health nurse, kindergarten teacher, doctor, Pita Sharples, MP, Christine Rankin, Cindy Kiro, kaumatua, - tell someone who will know what to do, or find out what to do.

media power

Tonight I have watched TV One News highlight an elderly woman hooked on XBox. Apparently she can play all day.  This woman has been given fame. I assume this woman receives a benefit. I know other elderly people who go to childcare centres to read a storybook or to sit and knit and talk to children.  This shows that we value our elderly as people who contribute.  Other elderly people grow a vegetable garden and give produce to family, neighbours and friends.  This provides another strong role model of healthy living and is productive old age. I think it is a poor excuse when elderly people say "I have paid taxes all my life, I deserve the pension."  Actually, they have received health benefits, education benefits, transport facilities, community facilities.

Then I watched on the same news channel a  world record of mouth-stuffing. 68 hotdogs over a limited time won a competitor a trophy belt and a cash prize.  Let's highlight someone who uses food and resources to the benefit of people who need it. 

The media have the power to set the standards for our community and therefore an enormous responsibility.

The Simpsons and The Family Guy.  These have a huge following and are setting the standards the values and the language for our children and for the future.  I am not without a sense of humour - even though my children may think so - I just feel very aware of the standards we are setting. 

Tonight I am told I am overthinking it. I wonder where they got that from.