See...but a law like this changes nothing. Like someone here pointed out...no one is hopefully going to be installing cameras in everyone's homes (though you never know at the way things are going.)
Ultimately, I think laws like this end up doing more harm than good, madeintaiwan. Instead of focusing on parents who are truly beating their children, causing blisters on their bottoms with paddles or are physically causing harm to their children, many other parents who are not guilty of abuse will be targeted. Let's face it...there are so many kids and families in the system already that DCFS can't keep up. More kids in serious danger will slip through the cracks.
Also...it's a slippery slope. First we say no spanking...which, ultimately is a great goal, but in some cases could be warranted.....then...we target Time-Outs (it's the bad mom thing to do here currrently) because of the damage to the self-esteem. Do we start considering the withdrawal of attention (aka time/out or corner time) as emotional abuse because we are withdrawing emotional affection from our children...making them potentially feel badly about themselves?
I feel violently opposed to the idea of crying it out. I think at some point I even got upset enough to point to Dooce's Blog and scream child abuse about that...but ultimately, probably a little crying it out is ok. It's not what I choose, but...done properly it may not be damaging. I'm sure those who use crying out responsibly would not be happy if they were told that it was now considered child abuse....but in my eyes...leaving a small baby alone in the bed crying and crying is...sort of abandonment.
RE: Angie's question of what would be ok from a care provider. I think time-outs are fine...but I question them allowing a child of mine to cry-it-out or be spanked etc. I think that is a decision a parent needs to make...
I think we should be looking more at the source of child abuse and trying to target that...poverty, overhwhelmed parents, etc.
Before Zoe left the NICU, I was required to watch a movie about child abuse and shaken baby syndrome. Also, in order to be discharged, I had to watch a movie about car seats and their proper/improper use. Parents leaving the regular wards didn't have to jump through this hoop...but ultimately, I thought it was a good thing.
Maybe instead of just trying to ban something that they can't enforce, the CA govt needs to focus more on parent education programs, increasing the state's minimum wage, more affordable and adequate childcare for working moms/dads and low cost/free mental health counseling for parents who feel on the brink of causing harm....
Do any of us sleep better at night knowing we've passed a do-nothing law that is unlikely to have any impact?
just some thoughts..
kris
Ultimately, I think laws like this end up doing more harm than good, madeintaiwan. Instead of focusing on parents who are truly beating their children, causing blisters on their bottoms with paddles or are physically causing harm to their children, many other parents who are not guilty of abuse will be targeted. Let's face it...there are so many kids and families in the system already that DCFS can't keep up. More kids in serious danger will slip through the cracks.
Also...it's a slippery slope. First we say no spanking...which, ultimately is a great goal, but in some cases could be warranted.....then...we target Time-Outs (it's the bad mom thing to do here currrently) because of the damage to the self-esteem. Do we start considering the withdrawal of attention (aka time/out or corner time) as emotional abuse because we are withdrawing emotional affection from our children...making them potentially feel badly about themselves?
I feel violently opposed to the idea of crying it out. I think at some point I even got upset enough to point to Dooce's Blog and scream child abuse about that...but ultimately, probably a little crying it out is ok. It's not what I choose, but...done properly it may not be damaging. I'm sure those who use crying out responsibly would not be happy if they were told that it was now considered child abuse....but in my eyes...leaving a small baby alone in the bed crying and crying is...sort of abandonment.
RE: Angie's question of what would be ok from a care provider. I think time-outs are fine...but I question them allowing a child of mine to cry-it-out or be spanked etc. I think that is a decision a parent needs to make...
I think we should be looking more at the source of child abuse and trying to target that...poverty, overhwhelmed parents, etc.
Before Zoe left the NICU, I was required to watch a movie about child abuse and shaken baby syndrome. Also, in order to be discharged, I had to watch a movie about car seats and their proper/improper use. Parents leaving the regular wards didn't have to jump through this hoop...but ultimately, I thought it was a good thing.
Maybe instead of just trying to ban something that they can't enforce, the CA govt needs to focus more on parent education programs, increasing the state's minimum wage, more affordable and adequate childcare for working moms/dads and low cost/free mental health counseling for parents who feel on the brink of causing harm....
Do any of us sleep better at night knowing we've passed a do-nothing law that is unlikely to have any impact?
just some thoughts..
kris
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