'But they're just a child!'

There's a lot of factors to consider here. What's the age of the child? Do they have any physical or psychological disorders? What was it that they did that was "wrong"?

I do see a lot of soft parents these days who don't discipline their children properly. For example, if a perfectly healthy 8 year old child steals a candy bar from a grocery store, they should know by that age that theft is illegal, and that the parent(s) should've taught the child better. Even if the child did know better, the child should still be disciplined in some manner. If I had a kid who say, assaulted another kid at school for no given reason, I'd probably send them to a juvenile boot camp for a period of time to straighten them up. I don't believe in "grounding", for that's a method that I've seen played out many times while growing up with my friends and family members, only for it to fail time and again. Children need to be taught respect and morality. For less serious "crimes", however, I would probably make my children do some form of exercise (push-ups, sit-ups, more chores around the house, etc), then I'd give them a nice, constructive lecture.

 

I believe children should be raised with firm discipline. Not harshly, but not too softly. I've seen too many teenagers and young adults thinking they can get away with whatever they want simply because they've never been unable to before. If they aren't taught at a young age that they and they alone are responsible for their actions and must accept the consequences, then they might not learn it at all.

Generally, I think kids really do know when they are doing something wrong. There are some cases where that's not true, but the majority of the time I believe that they do understand. Kids are smart. I underestimate them constantly.

As far as crime goes, I think there should be a punishment, but it shouldn't be on the same level of punishment as an adult would receive unless it is premeditated murder.

 

If the child is old enough to know right and wrong, they should get some appropriate punishment I think, like grounding or removing a certain privilege for a certain amount of time. But then again it is up to the parents. And even if a kid is taught something like "cursing is bad" if they see their parents doing it, they likely won't take that seriously and do it anyway. Kids are bullshit detectors.

However, if it's a toddler, they really don't know, you need to reinforce what's right and wrong, and I think people should be lenient.

 

In my mind, there are so many other factors. In addition to obvious ones ("How old are they?", "What did they do?", "Are they physically and mentally healthy?"), there are a few other questions that need to be asked.

For example, how serious is the punishment? I don't believe children should get death penalties or life sentences, but older children maybe should get jail time if they do something serious enough. Maybe beating them to a bloody pulp is a bit excessive, but a slap on the wrists with a ruler or something isn't too bad.

Not enough punishment is bad too, though. A lot of people I know's parents punish them by taking their phone away. Not their access to any other electronic devices (Like, I don't know, their laptop that can do all the same stuff), or their ability to have fun in the physical world (taking away access to friends, books, etc.), just their phone. That...doesn't seem like a punishment to me. Just a minor inconvenience.

Motive should also be carefully analyzed. Upper middle class kid from Canada steals a candy bar because he wants it? He should be punished and disciplined. Lower class kid from Burma steals a candy bar because he's starving to death? He gets some leniency.

 

I cannot stand it when children yell and scream and beg for things, so I think children should be given punishments. You don't learn near as well when people always give in to what you say. My parents were always firm in their punishments and because of that, I'm a better person. If they don't understand what they're doing, then this is a great learning experience for them.

 

In my opinion, like Riobhain mentioned, I think the severity of the punishment and what they did in the first place is what should be the setting of punishment. I never got the 'But they're just a child' pass. I think most of the time it could pass off, like for a mistake in a mall like taking something and putting it on the wrong shelf. However, when it comes to children cursing and having the excuse 'But they are just a child' annoys me so much. I was punished for that by having to stay locked up in my room. I think that kids these days get the pass that they are just a child, which is why they are so spoiled. That's my opinion; but at the same time, two different growing-up styles. One is spoiled and doted, and one is taught the lessons of life early so you can succeed.

 

There is this show in my area, where girl died. For nearly a year, the killer was unknown. Eventually, the killer was revealed to be her kid brother. And guess what? No punishment. At all.

It pissed me right off, and many others too!
That wouldn't happen. It shouldn't.

 

Looks like my post wasn't saved when I thought I had replied :[

@[member="8542Madness"] sums it up for me pretty nicely on this front. I believe children of age 3 and older understand right and wrong well enough to be considered "sane" by legal standards. Of course, as an American I believe in punishment fitting the crime. Equality is of the essence.

 

It's a hard truth. Children need to be taught discipline, more specifically self discipline, from a young age. Kids shouldn't be swearing and cursing around when they speak. It makes them seem unsophisticated. Also, we should ensure they are imparted the right values from the start. Maybe this may sound a little harsh but if you don't discipline the child, he or she is probably going to grow up facing the consequences when the law is against him/her. It is probably the last thing any parent wants to see right? But that being said, parents should set a good example.

 

my honest opinion​

seriously, too many people / parents are too nice to kids and i think its freaking disgusting​

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THEY WILL NOT LEARN IF YOU DO NOT SHOW THEM THEY MADE A FREAKING MISTAKE / DID SOMETHING VERY WRONG​

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look, i get it if you cba because its something small that happened whilst doing laundry or when watching tv, anything random and nothing important like that​

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but when your kid bullies another, when they been mean / hurtful, when they constantly lie about anything or even when they try and steal something​

anything really that falls under the CAT ''bad & wrong'' should be taken seriously​

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when it comes to bullying ...i cannot understand that so many adults/parents do not take it serious , no matter the age, kiddo or teenager​

SO MANY parents do not take bullying serious and why?, i just.... ​

 

I think there are limits to where you can use that excuse. Sure, kids don't know any better, but some kids are actually smart. They know if they're doing something wrong. I think it's up to their guardians to teach values that kids can grow up with to function in society. No stealing, screaming, shooting, or killing. They're just a child, but you need to teach them to be held responsible for their actions because the real world isn't going to give a pass on a crime.