The rights of children

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Okay now that all that rantings done I want to have a coherent and thoughtful question Now here's my question what are children's rights and how do we raise our children without making them biased? Do children have the right to property and their own lifestyle opinions and identity that is appropriate to their age? If a parent give the child money or maybe the child earned it themselves or got it from a friend or relative do they have the right to control what they spend it on even if it's age-appropriate and not bad? Do they have the right to force their opinions and beliefs on their children?

also nelgence vs neglect or abuse in a general way

My parents have always tried to maintain a balance of letting me be independent as possible, while also staying on top of looking after me. I'm pretty good at following rules and behaving, so that helps with them not having to be heavy handed with me. My stuff is my stuff, my money is my money and my beliefs are my beliefs. They're not trying to make me a photocopy of them. I read a lot of stuff about parents who are too controlling and strict on my teen forums and it really just seems to make everyone miserable. Then there's the other extreme where it's like as long as the police aren't involved they let their kid do whatever.

Legally children have very few rights. Morally, to treat children as other than persons is very questionable.

I think a lot of times adults are so involved in their own emotions and perspective they lose sight of children as human beings with independent thoughts and independent existence. And when the adults aren't caring the child's perspective and needs everything goes downhill.

The answer would seem to me to depend on the child's age and maturity and other factors as to what is right.

People force beliefs on others all the time. I read angry posts here where someone is trying to force their idea on others. It's an ugly reality. I try to be respectful of others beliefs, not force mine on them, but sometimes feel strongly and want to push an issue. As far as doing that to someone smaller and vulnerable, we depend on adults to be acting in the best interest of kids and much of the time, they are. Sometimes though that's not the case.

My kids opinions I value more than the ideas of strangers. Sometimes there too i will push something. Like I believe in the importance of education and have a child who is learning disabled who disagrees with me. I want her to come around to my point of view, I think that's fine to try because I'm the adult. But only so far I should go in pushing my view on her, even though I believe I am right and she is wrong. Even though I really want her to see things my way. And I know I may lose because she is a separate person with her own independent mind. Not everyone knows that about children. Not everyone can accept that they may lose arguments because children are separate.

But I'm certainly going to try hard to win the education is important battle.

I will let my son decide what he wants to eat, what he wants to wear or what shows to watch but I have to make sure he makes the right choices. If I have him decide what he wants for breakfast, he may want candy instead so I have to tell him what food choices he has, cereal, Eggos, fruit, toast, and have him pick one of those. It is my duty as a parent to help him make the right choices. Kids have very few rights because they are not capable of deciding for themselves and as we get older, we start to appreciate our parents more and their rules and understand why they had them. I now realize as an adult my life would have been a lot easier if I just listened to my parents than making it hard for them. I wished I knew this as a child. My husband laughed and told me I have a whole new perspective on my childhood and I asked what does he mean and he said I am now seeing it from my parents point of view.

I agree parents do force their beliefs on their kids. A mother doesn't think Spongebob is appropriate for her kids to watch so she is forcing her beliefs on them by not allowing them to watch it. I don't think kids need tablets or ipads so my son doesn't have one but I do think he might have one later down the road but right now he doesn't need one so therefore I have not gotten him one. I see nothing wrong with this. I think when a kid reaches a certain age and they are old enough to be earning their own money, they can buy their own game system or their own tablet or smart phone or whatever. That is how they learn. They learn if they want something, they have to earn it and that is working for money and saving it and they learn how costly things are. I also think it makes them care more about their items because they had to use their own money to get it. My brothers used to go to town to buy their own food so they could snarf it all down without getting yelled at by our mother because she didn't like food disappearing fast after she would go grocery shopping and she didn't want other kids eating it except us. So their friends used their own money to get food and so did my brothers. I honestly see nothing wrong with what kids watch just as long as it doesn't influence them and if it does, take away the TV show. That will show them if they let a TV show influence them in a bad way, they lose privileges for it but that is my opinion.

I think there is always balance. I want my kids to have their own opinions and their own beliefs and make their own choices but I also have to do my job as a parent still.

I don't get why a lot of people feel that children should be tried as adults, yet aren't old enough to have adult privileges like drinking and (until they're 15-16 at least) driving. So they're only adults if it works against them?

What I don't get is why they can be tried as adults but can't be tried for the death penalty.

I don't think it's right to be killing human beings at all.

Adulthood started as little as 10 years of age depending on the culture and the era of history.

A child as young as 6 has the capacity to make some very adult choices. Society establishes an arbitrary age for the sake of legal consistency.

If a minor does something really reprehensible with malice aforethought, sparing them an adult punishment because of an arbitrary age would be unjust. They showed adult reasoning and intent to do the crime, they should face the punishment as an adult would. Minors get a big break in the legal system because we presume they acted immaturely and without thinking ahead of the consequences.

No one needs a right to their opinions and identity. A right is a kind of contract that says, if somebody tries to take something away from you, we will protect it. Opinions and identity are all in our minds. It's not possible to take them away, so we have no need to even think of them as any kind of rights.

Expressing identity and opinions, however, might make sense as rights.

A 9 month old infant was charged with attempted murder in Pakistan in April. Very disturbing image of the baby being fingerprinted was in the news.

Well I believe as far as the law is concerned, you would have to abide by their rules as long as you live under their roof. Basically the only rights that you would have legally would be the right not to be abused either physically, mentally, or force you to do something illegal. Since you haven't mentioned specifics it is hard to pin it down any better.



Legally speaking, any "property" that you may have as a minor belongs to your parents or guardian. They can also make lifestyle choices for a minor as long as it causes you no harm mentally or physically and it isn't illegal. Again, their house their rules.

Your opinions are yours to keep. However expressing them might not be a right however if one is respectful of parents/guardians I see no problem with expressing it. Again not know the specifics makes it really HARD to answer this. It is too general a question.




They have the right to allow you to spend it or save it as per their discretion. Again as long as you live there you live by their rules. As long as those opinions or beliefs are NOT illegal nor do they cause you physical or mental harm then yes they can force you to abide by their beliefs and opinions. But again, not knowing specifics it is near IMPOSSIBLE to give you a good answer.




Negligence or neglect if they cause you physical harm I would think is a big NO they shouldn't be able to. Having said that it all depends if this is something defined as neglect or negligence which cause some sort of harm to you. This I feel would NOT be acceptable. Now whether the law considers their actions or inaction to be considered neglect or negligence is another matter entirely. Again not know the specifics....

Sorry if this wasn't much help. And I do hope all is well with you!

Jeni of course if you have children ever you can raise them in the way you feel is right. I hope there isn't anyone doing anything bad to you personally at this time?

I feel that every child should have the right to come home to a safe and happy home. Perhaps I'm living in a dream world, but this is the way I feel.

I'll second that CockneyRebel! Children should be happy, loved, cherished. But sadly that is often not the case

I think the primary problem with children's rights is that most adults in authority abuse it over them.

I also believe that the most important thing is that they are happy and cherished.
Life is short. In the end that's all that matters.