It comes in all shapes and sizes,
In all walks of life.
Sometimes you can see,
Other times not.
When I was young I was severely spanked,
Today we can’t even slap our children.
To me not to discipline,
Is also to neglect.
Officials want to put fear into parents,
But all they do is take away their control.
This is happening everyday in our society,
And is being widely accepted as right.
But what is a parent to do today,
When a child refuses to do as directed.
I live with situation everyday,
And a father who is afraid of his teenage son.
A new home and he destroyed two walls,
His railings he tore out twice.
Windows he broke four times,
But still nothing is done.
Fire is started in the cellar,
And no help from social services.
But let him get slapped,
And we will be charged with abuse.
Today again I witnessed something,
I hoped never to see.
The day when the child,
Pushed his father around.
If it is abuse for a parent to touch child,
Isn’t it the same for the parent.
Society today,
Needs to stop the witch hunts.
They need to leave the discipline,
In the hands of the parents.
Which is worse,
Abuse or Neglect?
To me,
They are equally bad.
Author notes
Option #1
This is my life I live everyday. I have to watch my husband fear my stepson eveyday. No help from local groups or organizations due to his age and his playing with fire.
Written September 4th, 2006
In a list
A contest entry
- For the easily distracted....Look! A BEAR! by AchieveEquilibrium.
550 points, ended November 2, 2007, 13 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 14 of 14
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What a great write. How true it is in today's society where children can do pretty much whatever they want without consequence. I don't condone child abuse but to me, there is a difference between "abuse" and "chastisizing" for bad behavior. Good job expressing it through this piece.
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Thanks so much for your kind and supportive words. As I said in my notes I live with this everyday. I agree to spank a child with your hand is not abuse if you are disciplining for bad behavior. But to let it go unpunished is to me neglect.
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You speak of a lot of parents in this write. I have seen this same problem in my best friend and her children. I see our children failing because of the inability to discipline them. We are angry when our children act up. However, I feel our children have been given too much power. This is well said and makes one think. Very good.
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Thanks for taking the time to read it anyway.
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Thank you for entering, but I'm not sure this poem fits with my theme
Mira -
I just had a conversation about this the other day. A friend works with children's home society and they are trained to teach no physical contact is necessary to discipline a child. Well I asked her this...what happens when all your methods you teach no longer work, then what...she had no answer, they had not been taught beyond the suggestions she knew. I hate abuse, but I agree with you, if a child contineously does something that endangers himself or others then is a time to get a message across. I do not believe a child should be spanked in anger, or for petty things, I believe the punishment should fit the crime. If they slam thier bedroom door, remove the door. If they ride thier bike in the street, take away that bike...ect...but sometimes a child can be stubborn and everything you do no longer works, for that childs safety a parent has to make sure they know the difference between right and wrong, sometimes that requires a spanking. I do not believe the government has the right to take away this right from parents, I do however believe if a parent abuses this right then they have the right to step in and stop the abuse.
Thank you for sharing this with us, it was a good write!
God Bless, Suzi
p.s. - I will say a prayer for your household as I know it can't be easy. Hugs -
Thanks Cherie I 'm glad you liked it. I believe there is truly a difference between the two and if you avoid disciplining your children then you are neglecting them. I am a firm believer of tough love.
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Great
Your right....neglect is bad too.... i personally feel neglected by my dad....but abuse....i dont think i could put it in the category as neglect depends on which kind i guess...great job tho and good luck in my contest
Cherie
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Thanks for your comment. I agree discipline should be left to the parent, and abuse to the courts. What I have here is neglect and fear. This is what the courts have instilled in the father. And "I can do as I please" in the son.
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Good write
The people have spoken and taken corporal punishment out of the hands of parents, schools and law enforcement. I know I was diciplined as a child... and I can tell you I won't forget even today what it was for... it helped shape me into a good person. Let me not forget wrong from right. Unfortunately, things are so out of control... I doubt that even if decisions were reversed... there would be no comeback. Abuse.... is undeniably a crime, and there is a distinct line between dicipline and abuse... if everyone would get out of the way, we could see it more clearly. Thanks for your strong perspective on the subject! Good write, thanks for sharing. -
yeah, not getting discipline is definitely a problem...I guess you just have to figure out what kind of discipline and how much. not getting the discipline he needs is probably a problem but maybe he's never had anyone give him a reason to behave before, like...I think if you just loved him he'd want to behave for you. Or maybe he could be a little mentally ill or something...not saying that to be derogatory to him or whatever but, is it like possible? I don't know, I'm sorry, I'm not trying to get into your business...
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Thanks for your comment and I'm glad you liked it. The problem is he gets NO discipline either.
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Hey, this is really well-written and you expressed yourself wonderfully and it's just totally awesome. I hope your step son straightens out soon and everything's okay with him. I don't know what you can do with him but...I think there comes a point where too much discipline is just gonna push the kid over the edge and make them worse...and all he needs is a mom I think...but I don't know. Wow, that totally sounds bad like I'm trying to tell you what to do and I'm not I promise just rambling and thinking or whatever. Anyways, as for the poem, this was just totally awesome and you're a really good writer
'Cause this is just like totally awesome.
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This is great expression and a good form of self-support. It hits closer to home than what I feel comfortable expressing on this site. Check your next i m for a better way for us to discuss and perhaps put an end to this crap. Mr. Joe
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