if a stepmother hits her stepchildren,can she be charged with assault?

[mikesnook1]

if a stepmother hits her stepchildren,can she be charged with assault?

[ummmm]

Depends.

Why did she hit them?
How old are they?
How hard did she hit them?

[McMouse]

Same rules for stepmothers as mothers.

[RATTER15]

Probably no more than the parents hitting their own children, I dont imagine that there is any clause in law permitting the hitting of your own children any more than someone else's, I could be wrong.

[ummmm]

Although if someone hit my kids....I'd hit them.

[Old_Geezer]

Never mind about step mother/children. I thought you were even allowed to look at your children sternly these days as it is a beach of their human rights.

[mrs_overall]

A beach of their human rights?
I don't "sea" how this can be.

[NoMercy]

If another woman hit my kids, it would be the last thing she ever did.

[ummmm]

Exactly NoM!!

[mickrog]

you are not allowed to hit nany ids these days......let them do what they like and look forward to seeing them on the Jeremy Kyle show when they are a little older

[jno]

parents can smack their children, so I don't see why step-parents shouldn't be able to.

[ummmm]

I don't even let their father hit them. I look after them...smacking is my job and my choice. I choose to shout at them instead.

[RATTER15]

Mrs O, who are you calling a beach!!!

[Sqad]

Who is bringing up the children?
If it is the stepmother, then she has every right to discipline the children in whatever way she chooses, within the law.

O_G

\\\\I thought you were even allowed to look at your children sternly these days as it is a beach of their human rights.\\\

just checked the Bill of Human Rights......yes, you can look at them sternly as long as nobody sees you.

[exdc]

If you are referring to reasonable chastisement then a step parent / .loco parentis, can claim that defence but only in certain assaults (law changed 2004 I think)

[jno]

ummmm, I think if you split up and don't get full-time custody of the kids, you must in effect delegate some or all of your parental rights. A step-parent acquires rights as well as responsibilities, and they should bring up stepkids just as they bring up their own. I'm not a smacker, but the law does allow it.

[Old_Geezer]

Yet again another example of why editing is necessary. Not only a missing letter but a complete meaning change too. I sometimes wonder why I contribute. Must be addiction.

[RATTER15]

Or just bring the children up with respect for their parents and you dont need to hit them, making children behave through fear of being hit or smacked is not the way to bring up kids surely!!

[NoMercy]

Parenting is about setting an example.

Is dealing with bad behaviour by lashing out setting a good example?

Violence breeds violence in my opinion.

[Old_Geezer]

You don't just lash out. Physical punishment for wrong doing is different. It goes on top of the good examples which are taken 'as read'. And it ought not generate fear, but being undesirable, teaches those who need to learn society's values respect for authority.

[EvianBaby]

I'm not sure I agree with that.

We were all given the odd smack as kids, either on the back of the hand or backside although they weren't just given out willy nilly but we've all grown to be decent, respectable adults - none of whom have ever been involved in anything more than the odd school yard scrap.

But then there's a difference between a smack on the backside and a beating.