Editor:
In reference to Steve Sharp’s letter regarding using a belt to change a child’s attitude (Journal, Dec. 3), educators and mental health consultants and many parents find positive discipline — giving choices, consequences that are fair, non-punitive, blaming, shaming or humiliating — is more effective and encourage children to take responsibility for their own behavior. Each year at Teen Maze, we present a parenting booth and educate teens about the three types of parenting: authoritative, authoritarian and no rules. Children who are raised with too many rules, suffer as much as children with no rules — these parents were raised so strictly, they don’t want to repeat that pattern.
Authoritative parents have family rules created by everyone and develop consequences that fit the punishment. This is how teens would like to raise their families. Research proves time and time again that punishment does not work and yet we have this belief that it does.
Wake up. Prisons are now a source of money and do not rehabilitate. As far as school shootings, that is a complicated subject and begins at a very early age and often is the result of trauma. To learn more, read Bruce Perry’s books on his work with survivors from cults. Better yet, read Tales from the Nursery.
Lisa Henry, Dolores
