Story: Parenting

Jane and James Ritchie

Jane and James Ritchie

From the late 1970s University of Waikato psychologists, and prominent child-rearing experts, Jane and James Ritchie argued that the right of parents to physically discipline their children for the purposes of correction should be removed from the lawbooks. In their book Spare the rod (1981) they wrote that physical discipline was damaging to children and society, and did not achieve the results parents sought. In this and subsquent books they stated that alternative methods such as positive affirmation for good behaviour, and time out and discussions for bad behaviour, were more successful.

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How to cite this page:

Lesley Patterson, 'Parenting - Parenting advice and organisations', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/26348/jane-and-james-ritchie (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Lesley Patterson, published 5 May 2011, reviewed & revised 26 Jun 2018