Kaiser-innate rights of the child

I think that what we have to recognize is that every child is special, every child has a gift, every child brings something with them.  And when there is inappropriate or challenging behaviour, we often lose track of that and our response is punitive.  And punishment doesn’t teach children anything.  So when we look at the rights of a child, I think the child has the right to grow up to be the best person he can possibly be and that the adults in his world’s job is to ensure that that happens.  So if we respond to inappropriate behaviour in a punitive negative way, we are in no way supporting that child.   

So what we need to do is we need to learn the skills required to understand why that child is behaving that way and provide the support and guidance and teach them the skills they need because there’s a reason for that behaviour.  And if we know the reason for the behaviour, we can teach them better ways to meet those needs.  And what I say to educators when I do my workshops, is if I ask them what behaviours they find challenging.  And then I say to them, if you know, if they say for example… he has, if you add the three words he or she has difficulty controlling his emotions, he or she has difficulty joining in groups, he or she has difficulty … whatever it might be, and those three words imply that your job isn’t to punish but if a child has difficulty your job is to teach.  So I try and guide educators in that direction and not necessarily thinking so much about the UN Rights of the Child so much as the innate rights of the child that the UN recognized.