Disciplining Children
Parents have a fundamental
constitutional right to care, custody, and control of their children, including
the right to discipline them. Child discipline is the method used to prevent future
behavioral problems in children. The word discipline is defined as imparting
knowledge and skill, in other words, to teach. In its most general sense, Wikipedia states that discipline refers
to systematic instruction given to a disciple. To discipline means to instruct
a person to follow a particular code of conduct.
The ‘Ceiling Fan’ Terror
Recently, CHILDLINE Trivandrum
received information about a 10 yrs old boy named Rajesh (given
name). He is a 5th Std student at LMS UPS, Perumbakonam. The boy lives
with his father and stepmother. In the first week of December 2016, the child was
physically tortured by his father, as part of punishment for his wrongdoing at
home. His hands and feet (also neck) were tied with a rope and suspended on a
ceiling fan! CHILDLINE staff informed the local police station (Marayamuttom),
who in turn visited the home and rescued the child. The boy’s statement was
recorded. A case was also registered and later handed over safely to CHILDLINE
Trivandrum. There were contradictions in his statement. The boy, at first said
that he was hung from a fan; later said that he was tied to a window. Our staff
member had a counseling session with him and gave emotional guidance.
The father has been arrested and
currently under judicial custody. As per our home study report, the mother had
been found to be not fit to look after the child. Hence the CWC will be in
charge of the care and protection of the child.
Children occupy a
special place in the law
As part of the child-caring process,
parents or caregivers may need to discipline a child. This discipline sometimes
involves physical acts such as spanking, confinement, or the restriction of
privileges. Though courts are often very reluctant to intervene in family
matters or dictate how parents must raise their children, some acts of
discipline or types of acts against a child are considered abusive and
criminal. When a parent, guardian, or child caregiver - or anyone in a position
of power - commits violence, sexual acts, or other damaging acts against a
child, the courts punish these acts as child abuse. It is important to use
discretion and use disciplinary methods that are congruent with the physique
and al round health of the child.
