The Pope on hitting children

In the news ...

[...] Speaking about responsible fatherhood at a general audience on Wednesday, Francis recalled a meeting with a father who told him he hit his children when they misbehaved. “Once, in a marriage counseling session, I heard a father say ‘Sometimes I need to hit my children a bit, but never in the face, to avoid humiliating them.’” “That’s great,” added Francis, “he has a sense of dignity. He needs to punish, do the right thing, and move on.” ...

When I read the words ... ‘Sometimes I need to hit my children a bit, but never in the face, to avoid humiliating them.’ ... what comes to mind for me are the tactics of people who commit domestic violence on women and children, hurting them in places on their bodies where teachers and other people outside the family will not notice the signs of abuse. I can't believe Francis thought that avoiding hitting children in the face has anything to do with preserving their "dignity". Maybe this isn't surprising, though, given that not long ago the Pope mentioned that he would punch someone who dared to insult his mother.

One thing I recall from psych classes in college was that hitting children teaches them one thing - that might makes right. As a kid I was often hit by my mother and it was the beginning of the ruination of our relationship.

Read more ...

- Pope Francis Thinks It's OK To Spank Children Under Right Circumstances

- Are the pope’s comments on smacking children right?