YC Mashup: Who has the right to discipline me?
“You can′t tell me what to do.”
“I don′t have to—you′re not my parent!”
“If you touch me, I′ll call the police!”
In the heat of an argument, you may say things like this to a parent, stepparent, guardian, or teacher. Who has the right to discipline you?
The law gives your parents control over your life until you become an adult. In fact, the U.S. Supreme Court has stated that the custody, care, and nurturance of a child belong first to…
Just for the record:
I personally tried that line: “If you touch me, I’ll call the….” well I got to that part in the sentence and woke up on the floor 2 minutes later, hahahaha It worked for me, I never even thought about threatening to call the…. (I still can’t finish that sentence til this day.)
FYI:
In 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the government does not have a constitutional duty to protect children from their parents. Four-year-old Joshua DeShaney was physically abused at home by his father, suffering brain damage and permanent paralysis. His father was convicted and sent to prison. You can read about Joshua in “Teens Take It To Court [Young People Who Challenged the Law and Changed Your Life] by Free Spirit Publishing (2006) atwww.freespirit.com.
Bringing Up Parents: The Teenager′s Handbook by Alex J. Packer, Ph.D. (Free Spirit Publishing, 1992). Straight talk and specific suggestions for getting along with parents, having fewer fights, and gaining more respect and freedom.
(“YCM” = Youth Culture Mashup)
