Parents Deserve a Fighting Chance

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Parents Deserve a Fighting Chance In America, it is becoming a more common for parents to become stuck in a vicious cycle of catch 22 of the government to stepping in on family affairs. Laws monitoring the care and treatment of children are prohibiting the ability of parents to discipline their children without interference from the government. These laws are much-needed in some cases, such a neglect, sexual, psychological, and physical abuse. While this is necessary, there are some cases in which these laws more are hurtful than helpful to the family. While abuse is the result of negative parenting styles, other parenting styles that accommodate the strict laws often result in cases of child neglect and/or juvenile delinquency. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “child abuse” is defined as “mistreatment of a child by a parent or guardian, including neglect, beating, and sexual molestation”(Webster). “Physical abuse involves physical harm or injury to the child. It may be the result of a deliberate attempt to hurt the child, but not always. It can also result from severe discipline, such as using a belt on a child, or physical punishment that is inappropriate to the child’s age or physical condition” (Child Welfare Information Gateway).However, parents look to justify their actions through the bible by saying “spare the rod spoil the child”. “But there is a big difference between using physical punishment to discipline and physical abuse. The point of disciplining children is to teach them right from wrong, not to make them live in fear” (Child Welfare Information Gateway). The reason these laws are strict is because of child abuse and neglect. There are many myths surrounding child abuse and neglect. Many people feel... ... middle of paper ... ... 2011 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Merriam-Webster Inc., P.O. Box 281, Springfield, MA 01102 : Produced in the United States of America. All rights reserved., 2011. Web. Babatsikos, Georgia. "Parents' Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices about Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: A Literature Review." Child Abuse Review. 19.2 (2010): 107-129 . Print. Saison, Joanna, Melinda Smith, And Jeanne Segal” Child Abuse and Neglect” HelpGuide.org Helpguide.org, Nov 2010. Web. 15 Apr. http://Helpguide.org/mental/child_abuse_ physical_emotional_sexual_neglect.htm#authors Crowley-Susan, Melanie Domenech Rodriguez, Melissa, Donovick. "Parenting Styles in a Cultural Context." Observations of ‘‘Protective Parenting’’ in. 48.2 (2009): 196-197. Print. http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=09de2f29-b9f2-4e97-ab1a-cf326049d2f3%40sessionmgr114&vid=10&hid=101

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