China will soon join dozens of other countries in banning parents from spanking their children.
While corporal punishment was outlawed in China in 1986, the practice remains widespread, particularly in rural areas. A new family education law prohibits the use of violence to “educate” children on how to behave. The law is awaiting approval by China’s top legislative body, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee.
Authorities have until now struggled to implement the 1986 law. Families have argued that they are only hitting their offspring to teach them how to behave, reflecting long-held views about child-rearing.
”Spare the rod, spoil the child” is still a mantra many parents in China live by, believing that if they do not discipline an unruly child, they will grow up to become a spoiled brat.
”Spoiling the child means killing them. For some mischievous kids, it’s impossible to educate them if you don’t beat them up,” wrote one Weibo commentator.
Another wrote: “I remember when I was a child, my mother at first disciplined me by telling me the facts and reasons but I just didn’t listen to her or couldn’t understand. But once she hit me, I instantly behaved well.”
Using violence to discipline kids is a long tradition in China ... Even now, many people still follow this tradition. So this new law will bring substantial changes to China’s parenting style.
The draft law also stipulates that parents or legal guardians should not discriminate against juveniles on the grounds of their gender or physical condition, and should not induce, teach, allow, or use the children to do anything illegal.
However, its report did not disclose what penalties would be handed down to those who break the law.
