The older I get, the more evolved my thinking about certain things. And by evolved, I mean, I've broken several agreements forced upon me in my impressionable years.
As a seasoned woman, I care deeply about women's rights. I am tremendously concerned with elder care. I believe civil rights are due everyone. The go green initiatives are important to me. Domestic violence and the safety of children are causes I believe are worth fighting for.
Over the last several days, my social feeds have been flooded with opinions about women provoking men to violence and corporal punishment being a necessary form of discipline. Once upon a time, I shared these opinions, some in part, some wholly.
In a day where information (medical advice, statistics, etc.) is literally at our fingertips, there is no reason for us to accept the status quo. Why should we continue to do a thing, just because that's the way our parents and grandparents did it. Shouldn't we try to understand the WHY of some actions? My grandmother thought switches were a punishing tool because that's what she knew from her childhood. She learned that discipline from family who picked cotton in fields and were witness to unspeakable indignities. At what point do we stop the trauma?! Must we continue to pass it down from generation to generation?
Too many of us are walking around with traumatic stress - not "post traumatic" and not "disorder" just traumatic stress. Our senses are fed trauma daily. Many of us are overworked. Lots of us are challenged financially. Terrorists threats are rampant. Those stressors, alone, can cause trauma to the psyche.
I want us to employ some different techniques for discipline and conflict resolution. We are living in a technology driven age where communication and education come in many forms. I know 3 year olds who can navigate tablets and smartphones. I do not subscribe to the notion that verbal communication is less effective than a spanking.
I encourage everyone to seek wisdom and with that, an understanding. My hope, is that as we continue to evolve and grow, so does our way of thinking.
xo
Lila