'No, we don't get a say, children just suffer the consequences' : children talk about family discipline
Dobbs, Terry
'No, we don't get a say, children just suffer the consequences' : children talk about family discipline Dobbs, Terry; Smith, Anne B.; Taylor, Nicola J. - Dordrecht ; Boston Martinus Nijhoff 2006
The International Journal of Children's Rights 14(2) 2006 : 137-156
This article presents selected findings from a study that examined children's perspectives of family discipline and their experiences and views of physical punishment. The study employed a qualitative participatory design, based on existing theories of children, and used focus groups to attempt to place an importance on the view of the child. Eighty children (43 boys and 37 girls), aged between 5 and 14 years of age, participated in the study. The children were asked a number of questions about family discipline, including questions about how they are disciplined, if their parents use physical punishment, their views on the appropriateness of physical punishment, and what happens in situations where they disagree with their parents over a certain punishment. The study also looked at age and gender differences in children's attitudes towards physical punishment. The key findings of the study were that physical punishment is the most commonly used disciplinary technique, with almost all of the children (92%) reporting that they had been physically punished. The majority of the children believed that physical punishment is an inappropriate form of discipline, and many children did not understand why they had been punished. The majority of children also reported that parents are inconsistent when disciplining, often as a result of a parent's personal circumstances at the time. The authors conclude that the common belief that physical punishment is an effective means of disciplining children needs to be challenged, emphasising the importance of children's voices around this issue. The article also highlights that New Zealand is not effectively implementing Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), which states that it is the government's duty to provide appropriate legislation to protect children from neglect and abuse.
0927-5568
CHILDREN
DISCIPLINE
FAMILIES
GENDER
GENDER DIFFERENCE
NEGLECT
STATISTICS
CHILD ABUSE
'No, we don't get a say, children just suffer the consequences' : children talk about family discipline Dobbs, Terry; Smith, Anne B.; Taylor, Nicola J. - Dordrecht ; Boston Martinus Nijhoff 2006
The International Journal of Children's Rights 14(2) 2006 : 137-156
This article presents selected findings from a study that examined children's perspectives of family discipline and their experiences and views of physical punishment. The study employed a qualitative participatory design, based on existing theories of children, and used focus groups to attempt to place an importance on the view of the child. Eighty children (43 boys and 37 girls), aged between 5 and 14 years of age, participated in the study. The children were asked a number of questions about family discipline, including questions about how they are disciplined, if their parents use physical punishment, their views on the appropriateness of physical punishment, and what happens in situations where they disagree with their parents over a certain punishment. The study also looked at age and gender differences in children's attitudes towards physical punishment. The key findings of the study were that physical punishment is the most commonly used disciplinary technique, with almost all of the children (92%) reporting that they had been physically punished. The majority of the children believed that physical punishment is an inappropriate form of discipline, and many children did not understand why they had been punished. The majority of children also reported that parents are inconsistent when disciplining, often as a result of a parent's personal circumstances at the time. The authors conclude that the common belief that physical punishment is an effective means of disciplining children needs to be challenged, emphasising the importance of children's voices around this issue. The article also highlights that New Zealand is not effectively implementing Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), which states that it is the government's duty to provide appropriate legislation to protect children from neglect and abuse.
0927-5568
CHILDREN
DISCIPLINE
FAMILIES
GENDER
GENDER DIFFERENCE
NEGLECT
STATISTICS
CHILD ABUSE