Pope Francis: parents can smack their children for bad behaviour

[RGCheek]

telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/the-pope/11392641/Pope-Francis-parents-can-smack-their-children-for-bad-behaviour.html

The Pope recalled a conversation he had had with a father, who told him that on occasion he hits his children if they have been naughty.

The Pope, smiling and miming the action of slapping a child on the bottom, said: “One time, I heard a father say, 'At times I have to hit my children a bit, but never in the face so as not to humiliate them.’

“That’s great. He had a sense of dignity. He should punish, do the right thing, and then move on,” he told around 7,000 people gathered in the Pope Paul VI Hall on Wednesday.
…
The endorsement of corporal punishment was condemned by campaign groups.

“It is disappointing that anyone with that sort of influence would make such a comment,” said Peter Newell, the coordinator of the Global Alliance to End Corporal Punishment of Children.

Peter Saunders, the founder of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, told The Telegraph: “I think that is a very misguided thing to have said and I’m surprised he said it, although he does come up with some howlers sometimes.”

The Pope is exactly right.

The far left will not be satisfied until parenthood is regulated by the state and any parental discipline is illegal.

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

Just a small number of countries find mild corporal punishment shocking and want to make it illegal. The rest of the world has no issue with parents disciplining children with a smack on the bum.The pope comes from that world. A culture clash I guess, but of course the western lefties will now make him into a supporter of child abuse.

 

[RGCheek]

Just a small number of countries find mild corporal punishment shocking and want to make it illegal. The rest of the world has no issue with parents disciplining children with a smack on the bum.The pope comes from that world. A culture clash I guess, but of course the western lefties will now make him into a supporter of child abuse.

And there will be secularist wackos protesting accusing the Pope of encouraging abuse, etc.

It is all so ridiculous.

 

[CharlieDoe]

Previously posted on how growing up with physical abuse and witnessing domestic violence makes me want a marriage without children.

Of course, I can never be a Catholic in good standing with that desire, unless I forego any future romantic relationships.

Many fathers will take this sort of advice from the Pope and run with it, to go far beyond what he even suggested (which is bad enough).

Of course, the Church has given short shrift to the plight of molested children, so it’s clear that she would care even less for those who are merely beaten.

 

[pete_29]

Previously posted on how growing up with physical abuse and witnessing domestic violence makes me want a marriage without children.

Of course, I can never be a Catholic in good standing with that desire, unless I forego any future romantic relationships.

Many fathers will take this sort of advice from the Pope and run with it, to go far beyond what he even suggested (which is bad enough).

Of course, the Church has given short shrift to the plight of molested children, so it’s clear that she would care even less for those who are merely beaten.

If I may be so bold as to ask, shouldn’t you in good conscience find a perfect church to worship in?

 

[CharlieDoe]

Been moving in that direction for some time now. This may be the last push I need.

 

[KendraDZ1902]

Previously posted on how growing up with physical abuse and witnessing domestic violence makes me want a marriage without children.

Of course, I can never be a Catholic in good standing with that desire, unless I forego any future romantic relationships.

Many fathers will take this sort of advice from the Pope and run with it, to go far beyond what he even suggested (which is bad enough).

Of course, the Church has given short shrift to the plight of molested children, so it’s clear that she would care even less for those who are merely beaten.

There is quite a difference between spankings and beatings/abuse. Says the girl who was molested by her protestant neighbor.

 

[CharlieDoe]

There is quite a difference between spankings and beatings/abuse. Says the girl who was molested by her protestant neighbor.

Indeed there is, let see if His Holiness feels any need to make any statement about physical abuse in the home. From his prior statements, domineering parents were the problem of the past, it’s absenteeism that’s the real problem today.

Truly sorry for the pain you have experienced.

 

[mommy_k]

This is another example of taking what Pope Francis is communicating out of context.
I read this as a father feeling guilty for smacking his child and Pope Francis conveyed that a controlled smack on the bottom is not a sin, and gave an example.

He then adressed the difference of a bottom smack and a smack in the face, so there is not confusion to what he was conveying. The entire message needs be be heard not just the Pope says its ok to smack children.

If the Pope on another occasion said it’s ok verbally correct a child, it would spin to its ok to verbally assault a child and so on…

We are talking gentle correction here–

 

[petitfleur]

This is another example of taking what Pope Francis is communicating out of context.
I read this as a father feeling guilty for smacking his child and Pope Francis conveyed that a controlled smack on the bottom is not a sin, and gave an example.

He then adressed the difference of a bottom smack and a smack in the face, so there is not confusion to what he was conveying. The entire message needs be be heard not just the Pope says its ok to smack children.

If the Pope on another occasion said it’s ok verbally correct a child, it would spin to its ok to verbally assault a child and so on…

We are talking gentle correction here–

Thank you.

Also, you don’t have to spank to be a good parent.
And for the record lots of leftist liberals really like this Pope. Even the ones who understand he does not condone gay marriage and that women will never be priests.

 

[petitfleur]

Previously posted on how growing up with physical abuse and witnessing domestic violence makes me want a marriage without children.

Of course, I can never be a Catholic in good standing with that desire, unless I forego any future romantic relationships.

Many fathers will take this sort of advice from the Pope and run with it, to go far beyond what he even suggested (which is bad enough).

Of course, the Church has given short shrift to the plight of molested children, so it’s clear that she would care even less for those who are merely beaten.

I recently had a discussion with somebody who was horribly abused. The idea that it will automatically make you an abuser is a myth and in fact it’s a much smaller percentage than you would think. I was struck hard by how deep the shame runs for so many even into adulthood because saying you were abused seems to make many people automatically think your a seething cauldren that could erupt at any moment.
I think a good parenting class would be helpful, and wish I took one myself. There is always hope.

 

[petitfleur]

telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/the-pope/11392641/Pope-Francis-parents-can-smack-their-children-for-bad-behaviour.html

The Pope is exactly right.

The far left will not be satisfied until parenthood is regulated by the state and any parental discipline is illegal.

What other answer would you expect from a person who is part of an organization to end corporal punishment, or to end childhood abuse?
It would be like calling up a priest and asking them what they thought of the planned parenting group in their town. They don’t ask quotes from regular people because it would not spark any angry reactions from people.
Don’t let the media manipulate you.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/the-pope/11392641/Pope-Francis-parents-can-smack-their-children-for-bad-behaviour.html

The Pope is exactly right.

The far left will not be satisfied until parenthood is regulated by the state and any parental discipline is illegal.

I have been paying extremely close attention to the HF’s words the past couple of weeks because he is touching on Fatherhood. Something very close to my heart.

This quote is one of the best examples of the culture of the Pope. He is a Latin pope, and in that culture fathers are stern, and beat children. I say this as a parent who spanks when needed. But I think the pope has really missed the mark on Fatherhood. And that is very concerning to me because he is the Father to us all. And a representative of God the Father. Many Hispanic people have a hard time even praying the Our Father or seeing God in that way. Which maybe why a devotion to Mary is so strong in the Hispanic culture.

This quote was odd from the “Pope of Mercy” I do however look forward to the explanation from all those who think every thing this Pope says is somehow superseding the Gospel…

Personally, I like the quote because I think we are in a time of Hypersensitivity with regards to what this particular Pope says. And I think this can be used to bring things back into perspective when someone else takes the Pope out of context. And I think it also provides a window into just how latino centric the Pope is in politics and life experiences. And how that may clash with the Western Church.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Who would have thought, Adrian Peterson had it right all along.

 

[KendraDZ1902]

Who would have thought, Adrian Peterson had it right all along.

sigh not true.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

sigh not true.

My tongue is in my cheek.

 

[KendraDZ1902]

My tongue is in my cheek.

Whew.

 

[petitfleur]

Who would have thought, Adrian Peterson had it right all along.

I should not of laughed at this but I did.
Are there other examples where you think he misses the mark on fatherhood or is it from this story?
I think this was written to be slanted against the Pope. To say he endorses corporal punishment makes it sound like he suggests all parents do it. I don’t think that is what he was saying. One of the quotes was from a man who was abused by a priest, he will likely speak out against that idea and he personally has a right to and good reason for not liking the comments.

 

[JackVk]

This is another example of taking what Pope Francis is communicating out of context.
I read this as a father feeling guilty for smacking his child and Pope Francis conveyed that a controlled smack on the bottom is not a sin, and gave an example.

He then adressed the difference of a bottom smack and a smack in the face, so there is not confusion to what he was conveying. The entire message needs be be heard not just the Pope says its ok to smack children.

If the Pope on another occasion said it’s ok verbally correct a child, it would spin to its ok to verbally assault a child and so on…

We are talking gentle correction here–

Agreed. Francis simply can’t win in the sphere of public opinion. Secular liberals and fundamentalists alike are getting their nuts in a knot on a weekly basis over him (which proves he is doing something rights).

There are people who say they don’t believe Francis is being taken out of context because he is some not-so-secret Modernist, or whatever the latest accusation is.I attribute that to the fact that he is comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable.

 

[styrgwillidar]

Thank you.

Also, you don’t have to spank to be a good parent.
And for the record lots of leftist liberals really like this Pope. Even the ones who understand he does not condone gay marriage and that women will never be priests.

The child determines the appropriate punishment not the parent. The parent finds the punishment that is effective for the individual child. I did not treat my children equally because they each responded differently. Time-outs worked for one, just instruction worked for another, the oldest however only responded to the knowledge that I was willing to administer corporal punishment for specific offenses. (That stopped when I discovered confiscation of electronics/threat of confiscation motivated appropriate behavior).

Whether you have to spank or not really depends on the child. It’s one of many tools one can use for discipline- including rewards, increased responsibility, etc. depending on the age of the child, their temperament and most importantly- what the individual child responds to. Sorry, but some kids only respond to physical discipline.

Note-- that means that after having to administer it a couple of times, the child modifies their behavior based on being told that the consequences for XXX action will be a spanking (two swats to the bottom). If your kid keeps misbehaving, continues the behaviors that you want them to stop----- spanking/corporal punishment is the wrong tool for that child and you need to find something else.

Successful use of corporal punishment isn’t continually whacking your kid. Its establishing that their knowledge of that as a consequence gets them to behave appropriately.