London Riots – Parents Too Scared To Beat Kids!

Posted on August 17, 2011 by Hunny B

The last 2 weeks have been crazy in London with all the riots which have been occurring. Everyone has been trying to get the kids view, polices view, politications view, youth workers view but we thought it would be interesting to ask the view of the parents.

In my conversations with my black British Aunties and uncles one thing seems to be clear. They believe that kids these days have no fear of punishment. In the PC society we live in Kids know their rights. From the time they attend primary school they are preached on about their rights – i.e call the police or social services if they get hit or are threatened.

Now when I was growing up in the 80’s and 90’s if my Dad even gave me a look I knew what time it was. One of the best tactics my Dad used to do was to talk to me for about an hour about why he was going to beat me before he did so. This made me really think about my actions next time as I wanted to do all I can to avoid the lecture. These days alot of the parents argue some of the kids are even looking for confrontation and even telling the parents that if you hit me they will call the police.

Parents now feel blackmailed into doing nothing and are being made to look soft. Parents say that these days in their houses with their teenage kids is like a mental warfare as the kids know they can’t get hit and parents know that the kids know that as well.

It is a sad state of affairs when parents have to be weighing up the consequences before discipling their own children!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/pat.ogunji Pat Ogunji

    I remember those days too

  • http://www.facebook.com/pat.ogunji Pat Ogunji

    dem never born u…. u no fit shout for ur parents na…
    being from Ogun State… wa je serious kpankere :)….
    even d look lasan ….. u go compose urself :)

  • Paulgibbons

    Isn’t it funny that since smacking was outlawed, defiance in children has risen!
    I was smacked when I deserved it and and actually feel It was done with love.

  • Tosin06

    Its funny how the issue of lack of discipline seems to be the reoccuring factor when the London Riots id brought up! Its sad how David Cameron doesn’t seem to know the problem and is instead bringin in National Citizenship to all 16 year olds!!! What is that guna do accept make teens rebel even more…National Citizenship..PLZ!

  • Querinna

    My Dad was saying the same thing when we were watching the news…..LOL! Smacking isn’t bad, unless it is abusive and happens for no reason at all. As it says , “Spare the rod, spare the child” My dad talks to me when i do things wrong, but when the talking is over the same issue, then i get smacks! I’m a good girl, so i haven’t been smacked in a very loooooonnnnnnng time! I want to continue to be so too, cause I enjoy not having a red hand.

  • Korina

    Hmmm, I am from Germany and do not know much about the situation in London and the likes, but can I just ask you if I have understood this “correctly”?
    I understand that Africans have the impression that the British government deprives them of the ability to train their children “the way they should go” (by letting the kids know their rights of not being beaten up, by making it illegal to beat children for discipline etc.) And afterwards the government is surprised when the kids go on riot, right?

  • Ice

    But if lack of discipline for children was the problem – then why do we have riots in Nigeria (and not much less than in England, I dare say)? I should think that the kids in Nigeria have been beaten well-well and would be really disciplined and never even think of looting…

  • Ola

    I agree with Ice. Beating children is not the solution. Loving them is. Teaching them is. I hardly got beat – the lectures and rant is what I hated most – I would be saying to myself- “just bloomin’ well beat me and get it over with.” -The Barking was much worse than the Biting. Violence is not the solution to discipline. Talking, explaining – beating is not the only punishment grounding, time out and withdrawal of privileges, and firm verbal reprimands solicits a far more constructive response and far better RESULTS. And you have to start this early with children. Once you instill proper behaviour principles you’ll never have to lift a finger and you will the divine beauty in them will realize. Beating is the lazy cowardly solution to discipline and it produces nothing but violent oppressive adults – and society. open eyes and look around.

    • Mamou

      You lot are looking at the narrow picture, the opened minded picture… Children are going up in an environment were they have the rights above parents, rather than them being under the right of there parents. Beating your children is not the only method of discipline, but a method that works effectively if combined with others… you can speak to a child u can take things away, it depend on the child and what there responces are and how they are raised… Taking away xbox, wouldnt matter to a child who is not materialistic. However looking at the bigger picture, to disciplin children without wrds or taking away certain toys… is deemed as abuse, people jump on the beating band wagon but it is more than that! Ola, every child will test their boundaries, it is nature.. Firm talking doesnt work to a child who no longer listens to reason!