The voters and the playcentres word on smacking
Normandale playcentre says yes to positive parenting, and no to smacking. Normandale playcentre co-president Anne-Marie Gallen says ?there is no smacking at all? at the centre because they operate as a parent collective that needs clear rules laid down around smacking for the adults. ?We try and use positive parenting, and behaviour workshops are offered by the Hutt Playcentre Association that runs 18 centres throughout the Hutt. ?We don?t promote smacking, we encourage positive parenting ? for example if we see a parent getting stressed then we work on the communication aspect with the parents,? says Mrs Gallen. Because parents take responsibility of the children at the centre, she says it?s important to have rules that apply for all caregivers. ?Shocked? at the high number of people voting ?No? in the recent referendum on child discipline, she says personal choice was a major factor in the outcome. ?We have guidelines around child abuse and many support people at the [Hutt Playcentre Association] organisation. ?We have discussed it as a centre and we are defiantly not promoting smacking. ?[Smacking children] doesn?t work as an effective means of child discipline, and positive parenting is much better?, says Mrs Gallen. The Hutt Playcentre Association offers free positive parenting training for all its members. The New Zealand Playcentre Federation is also asking for more effort to be given to positive parenting education. ?We have children with behavioural issues, and you have to work with the parents to discover a programme that is the best way to handle the child. ?It?s all about strategy,? says Mrs Gallen. The Playcentre education programme includes teaching practical techniques for working with children such as applying consistent boundaries and focusing on the underlying causes of behaviour. Playcentre Federation President Marion Pilkington says, ?Providing parents with opportunities for free courses in positive parenting education, and building support networks in the community, is the best way to ensure young children grow up in a non-violent environment?. ?Over time, this will create a society where no-one feels the need to use physical punishment on their children. ?The research is clear that children who grow up without fear of violence in the home are much more likely to become stable, secure adults,? says Mrs Pilkington. The programme also teaches communication skills, and promotes awareness of the impact of culture on parenting and an appreciation of different parenting styles. These courses have been shown to improve parenting skills and confidence in working with both children and adults.
