NY Lawmaker: Parents should take parenting classes. Sigh - really?

[sagiquarius]

So, a "lawmaker" in NY thinks it might be a good idea to coerce parents into taking parenting classes.  I disagree with the principle and the proposed methodology, because both rely upon the abuse of power and use of manipulation to gain compliance.

I agree, in principle, that educated and peaceful parents are crucial to a sustainable & fulfilling society.  I can also appreciate that this politician likely doesn't know how to behave nor negotiate without the mantel of power to which he has grown accustomed.  However, there is no reason to threaten people into compliance by saying your kids can't pass 6th grade if you don't take these classes.  

Come on man, I know you're a socially retarded politician, but surely you must be able to see how threatening to punish the child because the parent won't take parenting classes is kind of ... oh I dunno, hypocritical and counter productive.

I understand the relationship between a parent and child is unique and dynamic.  However, there are some values that can be universally applied to all child-parent relationships.  Here are a few universal things that could be taught in these classes, without having to threaten people:

1.) Teach parents how to think, reason, and negotiate with their children.  This would preferably occur before, and during pregnancy.  Just as driving lessons and corrective lens would preferably occur before you send a myopic teenager hurtling down a highway at 75mph.

2.)  Educate parents about the long-term negative consequences of corporal punishment and mental abuse (yelling, name calling, manipulation, circumcision, exposure to extreme ideologies like theism, conservatism, progressivism, etc).  

Spousal abuse is frowned upon, is it not?

3.)  Give parents a list of freely (or cheaply) available resources on peaceful parenting, child development, and nutrition.  Cause, ya know, hitting, treating kids like adults, and feeding them oreos and ho-hos (holy crap those things are tasty) may not be conducive to their developmental well being.

I don't think I'm blowing utopian rainbows out of my ass here. These are things that can be done; if there really was a desire to help create a better society that doesn't rely on violence, manipulation, and coercion to maintain a veneer of civility.  

Wouldn't it be nice to have a civil society rather than a facade?  

Wouldn't you feel a bit safer knowing that you are sharing the highway of life with folks that have 20/20 vision and took driving lessons?

 

ps:  Here's the G+ version if anybody uses that.

[Daniel Unplugged]

While I believe that most parents do a woeful job raising their children, I think that if they take state parenting classes, matters would only become worse. Not to mention that forcing people to take parenting classes violated the NAP.