It will be difficult to do Shelby's perception justice, but I will give it an attempt. She is always fascinated with the way adults speak to and discipline their children. She does not comprehend why people threaten, hit, or angrily yell at their children. As a family we certainly have our heated moments but we aren't violent or threatening with one another.
The other night Shelby and I were wrestling. Often when we play like this she will mimic recent experiences in her life. At one point in this wrestling match, Shelby decided that it was time to spank me. As she started my well deserved punishment she also grabbed my ear. I couldn't figure out why she was doing this. When I asked her about it she said she had seen parents punish their children by holding on to their ear. I realized that she has no idea what the sensation of a spanking or an ear pulling is.
As amused as I was by this awareness, I was also very grateful. Not only has Shelby never had to experience this kind of violent interaction with her parents, she sees these actions as being incredibly ridiculous. The minds of children are so perceptive and generally right. Violent actions taken against children are ridiculous. These actions are unacceptable and NEVER justified. May your children never be subjected to acts of violence to coerce behavior.
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2 comments:
I think discipline is learned behavior; most people just mirror what they learned from their parents.
If the parents used ineffective methods, it's up to the next generation to learn better methods and break the cycle.
What a great story. I love Shelby and her great perspectives on life that she will never have to experience. I love you guys a lot!!!!
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