Post-Reading Activities

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 420.

When should I start teaching my child discipline?

You start teaching discipline at age 4, 5, 6, 7. Right in there is the normal people-pleasing stage where a child will automatically developmentally want to please you; want to make you happy, so are receptive to discipline. They realized they will get more of what they want if they make my Mommy and Daddy happy with them, obey their discipline. It is still the same motive but now they are learning to make the Mom or Dad happy. You are vacuuming. They want to vacuum. You're shopping. They want to shop. You are cooking. They want to cook. They want to be like you. There is heavy modelling going on in that period. The parents are very involved in catching them being good. You see how important this stage is, "Oh thank you for helping me. I really appreciate your helping me dust. You helped put away all the toys and you cleaned up your room. That's really wonderful." Catch them being good, and they will learn discipline.

(http://www.videojug.com/interview/parenting-discipline-and-punishment)

Answer the questions:

1. What's punishment?

2. What was the purpose of punishment in authoritarian times?

3. How did the attitude to punishment change?

4. What is domestic violence?

5. Prove that domestic violence isn't allowed.

6. What two types of punishment are mentioned in the text?

7. What are “time-outs” for children?

8. Is discipline the same as punishment?

9. Why should we start teaching discipline at the age of 4?

10. Which of the ideas mentioned in the text do you support? Why?

11. What is the most effective way to discipline a child?

12. What are the most common mistakes parents make when disciplining children?

Children and discipline

Pre-Reading Activities

Work in pairs. Make a list of ways in which parents and teachers discipline children. For each punishment on the list discuss the following questions:

1. Is this a reasonable punishment to give a child in a civilised society?

2. What age of child is it suitable for?

3. Who can give this punishment to a child? Parents? Teachers? Other relatives?

While-Reading Activites

Read these two letters. Which one do you agree most with? Why? The following words will help you understand the article better:

assault – напад, to ban – забороняти, smack – ляпас

Dear Sir!

I think it is quite ridiculous that the government should be considering legislation to ban smacking. Every parent needs the right to be able to give a child a smack, not in order to cause physical harm or pain, but more as a shock tactic to stop a child from misbehaving or in some circumstances to stop them causing damage to themselves or other people. Some people argue that laws are needed to stop excessive physical punishment, but there are quite clear laws dealing with assault and bodily harm. If a parent causes physical harm to a child, then the police can use these laws to bring the parent to justice. My father used to give me the slipper and it never did me any harm. What is all the fuss about?

Jack Wallace

Dear Sir!

Thank goodness the government has finally begun to see sense regarding the punishment of children! Let us hope that they have the courage to do away with the physical punishment of children. We supposedly live in a civilised society. Can we at last realise that physical punishment is unreasonable, degrading, mentally harmful and completely unacceptable in the 21st century? Smacking, indeed any form of physical punishment, should be made illegal immediately, and parents and teachers who practise this disgraceful activity should be brought before the courts.

Laura Flynn

Post-Reading Activities

Make four true sentences:

Jack Wallace was smacked as a child

thinks smacking has more than a physical effect

Laura Flynn would like to see all physical punishment banned

thinks the laws are acceptable as they are now

Work in pairs or small groups. Discuss these questions:

1. Which, if any, of the punishments below do you think are unsuitable for children above the age of three?

a) a quick smack on the hand

b) a quick smack on the back of the head

c) a smack on the bottom

d) a smack on the bare bottom

e) a blow from a belt on the hand

f) a blow from a cane on the bottom

g) a blow from a slipper on the bare bottom

2. Would it make any difference if the child was a boy or a girl?

3. Which, if any, of these punishments do you think is acceptable?

a) sending a child to their bedroom for an hour

b) not allowing the child to play with their friends for a week

c)stopping the child's pocket money

d) not allowing the child to watch TV for a week

e)making the child stay behind at school to do extra work

f) giving the child extra jobs around the house

4. At what age do you think it is no longer necessary or appropriate to discipline children?How were you punished when you were a child?

(From Instant Discussions)

X. What does it mean to let children grow naturally? Read the article. Do Japanese let their children grow naturally? Render the main idea of the article into English.