During his weekly general audience this week, Pope Francis said it is okay to smack your child to discipline them, as long as you are keeping their dignity intact.
Using a story to demonstrate, he said: “One time, I heard a father in a meeting with married couples say, ‘I sometimes have to smack my children a bit, but never in the face so as not to humiliate them.”
“How beautiful! He knows the sense of dignity! He has to punish them but does it justly and moves on,” he added.
Following up after Pope Francis’ comments, Vatican press office representative Rev. Thomas Rosica emphasised that he was not promoting child cruelty, but rather pointing out how the act ‘helped someone to grow and mature’.
“Who has not disciplined their child or been disciplined by parents when we are growing up? Simply watch Pope Francis when he is with children and let the images and gestures speak for themselves!” he said.
He added: “To infer or distort anything else…reveals a greater problem for those who don’t seem to understand a pope who has ushered in a revolution of normalcy of simple speech and plain gesture.”
What are your thoughts?
