stanzi you bring up a very good point that I hadn’t thought about. I think I was wrong in saying “Leave the science to the scientists and the parenting to the parents.“
There are plenty of scientists that subscribe to psudo-science so it only makes sense that there would be parents who subscribe to bad parenting.

I think the main point I was trying to put forward is that just because you don’t agree with a punishment doesn’t make it wrong.
I think I should restate my main point as;
wait for adequate evidence before you call child services.

The call you recieved is bad news but i’m glad you were able to logically disprove the allegations.
I think a “parent licence” would be a great idea. I’m not a parent yet, but I would go through a test to prove my capability. When you have a child you hold someone’s life in your hands, just like driving a car, so I think it would be a good idea to show that you can be responsible.
Also parenting classes are another resource for parenting knowledge. Making at least a few sessions mandatory would be a good basis for your parenting knowledge. I know when I have a child i’m going to be looking everywhere for information and advice.

Sorry to hear about your stressful call.

oh.. by the way. Someone called child services about ME this week… I got a phone call from Child Protection Services who had to ask me about a few claims that someone had made (they remained anonymous, but I knew exactly which lunatic had made the allegations). The phone call ended with him saying “Your answers have all been very logical” and the issue was dropped.

I think rather than a license, training or such on top of what services there currently are. I would much prefer to see a critical thinking class be added to high school education. This has unlimited applications to that persons future actions.

”Since when did parents go through 4–7 years of training to be a parent?A real parent doesn’t necessarily know what’s best for a child any better than a non-parent, and in many cases a non-parent may know better. ( I’ve often thought that prospective parents should go through training before they’re allowed to have a kid.)”

OMG… I completely agree with you i just never thought i would ever hear that from an adult let alone a mother! My family is rather traditionally Italian, so no matter what you do if you’re younger you’re automatically more stupid, less wise and your opinions less valuable. Training you say? I have often suggested a parent license, is that too much?

I think the argument from incredulity Chumley is trying to get at is; she can’t understand that punishing a child is acceptable (or that would be her personal belief/conviction) so therefore it isn’t…

Normally this argument is applied to a premise being unlikely and can therefore be assumed to be false, i.e. i cannot explain or understand how evolution by natural selection could develop life into such complexity therefore evolution of the species could not have occurred.

Keeping in mind this type of argument is normally coupled with an argument from ignorance, and hence often added in is this idea that, if i don’t understand how evolution could be responsible for the complex species around me, but i can understand (even though completely unproven) how God could be responsible, then God must have done it. If that makes any sense? haha it’s 7 am! :p

Logical fallacies are so important in argumentation if only to make sure your own argument is as logically stable as possible.

However… who was making an argument from personal incredulity? If you mean the woman who was calling child services, how so?

And “Leave the science to the scientists and the parenting to the parents”?!!

Since when did parents go through 4–7 years of training to be a parent?A real parent doesn’t necessarily know what’s best for a child any better than a non-parent, and in many cases a non-parent may know better. ( I’ve often thought that prospective parents should go through training before they’re allowed to have a kid.)

This deserves its own post, but here is an example of a person who probably does “know better” than real mothers:

http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/parenting/baby/no-more-tears-20090629-d1u5.html?s_rid=rainbow%3Ahp5%3Ano-more-tears%3Aeb%3Ababy%3A30jun09

(ps. I’m a mum)

Nice post, keep it up!