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Report RE: 6th July, Dr.Crabbere's Children Have Rights Day
Original Post
RE: 6th July, Dr.Crabbere's Children Have Rights Day - 12-04-09 12:19
by: Karine
Thanks Mandy/Kaz
I understand where Dr. Crabtree is coming from and realise that she is talking about the 1989 Children's Act, Every Child Matters, UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child etc., etc., Each of those over the year has ensured practitioners effectively allow a child to be heard and this has been implemented within many Early Years settings and schools. However, home life is another matter. Parents are not taught or offered tools to be able to deal with behavioural situations. As the children get older they find that they really do not have too many choices - what they have previously been led to believe. The tools the children need to have a better life are not their - being given to them on a plate. They have to learn to listen themselves - become responsible and sometimes learn that life does not offer them everything that they are asking for......... Its great to give children a voice and have empathy - but at the end of the day where do you think Dr. Crabtree this country (and others) have gone wrong? We have listened over the past 5-10 years to our children and given them a voice. Older children are asking for the government to put on more activities for the 10-18 year olds, to get them off the street, but nothing has materialised for this age group (just the under 5's) - it stops for children after this- what type of reward are we and the children now reaping?
The problem is the government have dictated this so much that both parents and practitioners are afraid to sometimes put a stop on the out of control children, for fear of being reported as being heavy handed and this does not mean through corporal punishment.
How do you think those 10/11 year old boys who recently knifed a little boy were listened to? - Children are no longer taught boundaries, respect in the way we were once taught. I had a strict upbringing, I was not always listened to, but what I heard constantly from my elders was, respect, do as you are told and as I say and not to question what I am asking (often adults always knew best!).
I ask again - now we have listened to our children over the past 5-10 years, what are we not listening to for our children - or are we not hearing what they are saying - just seeing the evidence of what they have learnt? Do you remember the book "Lord of the Flies" ?