Do you agree with punishing children for something that they did by accident?

Kelly

Yes, accidents are most often preventable and accidents still have consequences. Drastic example but look at impaired or distracted driving as an example, doing either can have dire outcomes where someone can be seriously injured or lose their life as a result of something. It's not something they intended to do but there still need to be accountability and consequences to it. As for something trivial like the car door, all of my kids have closed the car door on each other at some point but it's unlikely to be something I'd discipline them for .. things happen.

Beverly S

I think in your case she got scared and upset... but no one should be punished for an accident.

edward

Lesson learned. Don’t close the door without looking

nico

Yes, most accidents are caused my carelessness. For example my 8 year old broke my Laptop after I repeatedly told her too sit back on the couch with it, not toward. It wasn't intentional but she was careless and not following instructions. Carelessness is a habit that needs to be broken, just like any other.

Nobodylikesmagats

Yes, most accidents are caused my carelessness. For example my 8 year old broke my Laptop after I repeatedly told her too sit back on the couch with it, not toward. It wasn't intentional but she was careless and not following instructions. Carelessness is a habit that needs to be broken, just like any other.

Rosalie

There are things that should involve punishment,and things that are just accidents. Spilled milk may or may not be a time for that. Was he having trouble carrying too big a carton? Was he told not to try and pick it up, in the first place? It really depends upon why it happened, not necessarily what happened. Sometimes parents go overboard.

Philipthepale

Well yeah, if it was due to carelessness that they should've known better than to let happen.

Catherine

It wasn't an accident it was carelessness. And yes you should stop a child from being careless.

marty

It would depend on the "accident". Once they learn that word and not get in trouble then that becomes their go to response whenever they do something. I think the user Kelly says it best with their answer.

LizB

Totally depends on the circumstances. If it was a genuine accident, then no, we all make mistakes. For example, if my son wets the bed he doesn't get into trouble, because he's not in control of that. We just change the sheets and move on. But if the accident was due to carelessness and the child is old enough to know better, then discipline is necessary to reinforce expected behavior. Example: if aforementioned son drips pee all over the toilet seat and then doesn't flush or clean up, we make him go clean up after himself because it's something he needs to be doing as a member of the household.

Suzy Q

No, of course not. However there have been plenty of cases when my kids pleaded 'accident' when in fact I considered what they did an act of carelessness, indifference or even failure to listen. And none of those are accidents. As for your example: I would have yelled too if you had slammed a car door on my child's head. And neither would I have considered it an accident. It's common sense to watch what you're doing when closing a car door, especially if you're not the only person in the car. You must have not even looked and just slammed the door behind you to make this happen. That's carelessness, not an accident. And it could have resulted in very serious injury. If you were my kid, you'd have been in deep trouble. You'd need a sharp lesson in consideration for others.

Oh Boy!

YES, especially if you injured someone or something.

Anna D

Sometimes accidents happen because kids are doing something they shouldn't be doing. Like if you knock over a lamp playing ball in the living room, you should always get in trouble for playing ball in the living room if you know it's not allowed but I don't think the punishment should be significantly greater if the lamp gets broken.

Pat Wooden

Only if the accident was caused by carelessness on their part, or could have been foreseen if they had thought more about it before doing it. For example, throwing a ball in the house can very likely damage property, and such damage is not really an accident, because a sensible person should have known better.

Epic Guy

I do, parents are supposed to ask the kid if it was an a accident or not, if it was then they should tell the kid to be more careful

Star_of_Darkness

Clsoing the door on a child is not an accidetn. You were too lazy to mack sure there was no one there and you closed the door on the child. Not an accident, not a mistake

KaleyK

Absolutely not. Children should be punished for belligerent behavior. For example if you tell a child not to color on the wall ... and you've been very clear about your expectation... and he/she colors on the all, that's belligerent. That's the child saying "you're not the boss" and punishment is to explain "I am the boss". Never punish a child for mistakes. Do keep in mind that parents are humans (sort of) and often react emotionally. Children can be exasperating and many parents lose their own discipline along the way. It's not easy!

Zzz

And does anyone even care?