Disciplining children (father not guilty for slapping his son, R. v. Wood).

• Author: Teresa Mitchell

An Alberta Provincial Court judge recently took on the thorny problem of parents and the physical discipline of children. A Calgary father was charged with assault after slapping his four year old son on the cheek and leaving a visible hand print on the child's face. On the day of the incident, the father had been sleeping after working the night shift. He was awakened by the sound of the child and the mother arguing loudly. The father told the child several times to be quiet. The child continued to yell, so the accused laid him on the couch and slapped him on the face. Both the accused and the mother testified that the child was hyperactive and difficult to handle. They had resorted to spanking on occasion when other forms of discipline did not work. Since the incident, the child had been placed in a special school for help, and the parents were enrolled in family...