How far should the law regulate how you bring up your children?

[lawstudent]

I'm a law student writing a thesis on the regulation of the law in relation to the upbringing of children, with particular emphasis on religious upbringing.

I'd love to hear your views on:

1. Should the law interfere with how you bring up your children
2. How far should the law interfere, if at all
3. How important is giving your child a religious upbringing?

Thanks very much

A

Wow, this is an interesting one!

In a similar discussion recently, our answer was that if everyone lived by the ten commandments we wouldn't need 'law' at all!

1. I believe yes to a certain point

1. Not sure. I am a strict parent and cannot abide bad manners. My children have been taught to say please and thank you from a very early age (my stepdaughter - non resident - couldn't do this unprompted at the age of 9!) and they have both won good behaviour awards at school (aged 5 and 7). However, as someone who works in schools, more discipline and good smack wouldn't go amiss with a number of pupils! Bring back the cane!! Children have too many rights these days. So the law banning smacking would be going too far in my opinion. (I would like to add that my two have had about 3 smacks each, and they have always had the desired effect of ceasing that activity. This was never done without plenty of warning about consequenses and the offence has never been repeated. I am not proud of this, though, and do believe that mostly there are better ways of disciplining children.)

I have also realised that parenting skills have to be learned. Some people don't have them and are doing untold damage to their children (speaking from one damaged little boy's perspective today). Should parenting courses be mandatory...?

A law limiting the number of children would be welcome. One boy I work with is one of nine. Neither parent works, so as a tax payer, I am funding them and their free school meals etc. Drives me wild!

Religion? I am a regular church-goer (Christian) and I take my children. My husband is an athiest. However, I believe religion (moderate not extreme) is a great starting point for learning about morals. But there are people out there who manage fine without - personal preference, I would say.

May have gone off at a tangent a bit, sorry. Very interesting, though! Good luck!