Spare the Rod?

Using the rod as a way of disciplining a child has been a common practice in many Asian households. It advocates a disciplinarian style of child rearing that is frown on by most parents nowadays.


I absolutely see no benefit in using the rod even though the older generation SWEARS by it. I have tried using this method on Ryan when he misbehaved but the same ” mistake” was still repeated despite using the cane as a punishment.

There even is a saying ” Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child”. I beg to differ. I rather concentrate on ” Spare the Rod and Educate the Child” instead.

Using the rod only instills a sense of temporary fear in the child as he cringes at the sight of it and stops his unsatisfactory/unwanted act the instance the rod comes into view.

It is not a long term solution as there are many cases of kids being immune to it and it the parent has lost it’s initial purpose of being a deterrent to inappropriate behaviour/conduct.

Children learn from every action you make. I have seen Ryan smacking his brother while scolding him for being naughty and taking his toys away without asking. This is definitely not the way I want for him to behave towards his younger brother.

The repercussions of this method of punishment is that the signal that you are giving to the child is that ” I am bigger/older than you and with this physical/violent act you must conform to what I want you to do”

This is a real NO-NO as it is saying that being physical with others will get you what you need.
There are other methods of discipline which can be used to educate a child but I will leave it for subsequent posts. 🙂

I need a fever sticker

During the past few weeks Ryan has started procastinating every morning before going to school. It always starts with ” Mummy I am sick… I need a fever sticker.” This is followed by him lying flat on the bed with his hand to his forehead.

” Feel me.. my head is hot.. I have a fever”. I reach over and feel his forehead. It is fine.. ” No fever,” I replied” Now get changed for school.”

” I told you I’m sick” Ryan insists ” Check my temperature again”

This time to make sure and to show him that his really FINE I take out the clinically approved BRAUN thermormeter and took his temperature. ” See.. 36.7degree celcius” I exclaim ” Put on your clothes and get ready for school”

Ryan still insists that he needs a fever sticker.

” If you have a fever sticker will you feel better and be okay to go to school?” I quizzed him. Ryan nodded and said yes.

Grudgingly I go to the refigerator peel open the pack of fever stickers, take one out and paste it on his forehead.

“Ok…Now you have your fever sticker,” I say “get dress for school”

He changes out of his pyjamas and into his school uniform and within 10 min he was happily boarding the school bus with the sticker on his forhead.

KIDS!!!

* For anyone who is wondering what a Fever sticker is it is a cooling adhesive used commently here to bring down the temperature when children have fever. It looks something like this