In response to Kevin’s comment to last night’s program:
I watched your’s show on tv tonite and I feel maybe if parents were allowed to disapline there kids to a certain extant that it should help with street viclance trouble plus if all are block watch captian’s has a direct line to a direct radio cotact to a police car.
Parents are allowed to discipline their children. Discipline means “to teach.” What parents are not allowed to do is to abuse their children — to punish leaving bruises and marks. Staff of The Parenting Network encourage parents to discipline — and also help them understand to discipline in ways that respect both the parent and the child and to teach them to make better decisions not because they will be punished but because they understand how their actions affect others. We as parents are role modeling desired behavior in all of our interactions with our children. When children are hit for misbehaving, they are learning to hit when they don’t like the actions of others. Parents are often modeling the exact behavior they do not want. When children go to school, they act out this aggressive behavior because no one taught them otherwise.
Discipline means different things to different people. According to Prevent Child Abuse America, “Society expects parents to automatically know how to raise their children. But many parents don’t know the difference between discipline, punishment, and abuse — between ‘getting off their child’s back’ and neglecting, between caring and nagging.”
Each child is unique and is constantly learning and growing. What works for one child may not work for her sibling. Likewise, what worked for one child at age 2 might not work at age 5.
It is important to remember that effective discipline techniques can be learned. The Parenting Network offers many parent education and support programs through Milwaukee County where parents can learn new techniques, gain insight from other parents, and offer suggestions of what has worked in their families. Additionally, the Parent Helpline is available 24 hours a day. For more information about parenting classes and groups or to talk to a helpline counselor, please call us at 414/671-0566.
In response to Kevin’s comment about neighborhood block watch, he should bring that suggestion to his block captain.
