Spain: Children 'must do housework' under draft law

张文

不少家长都不舍得让家中宝贝做家务，一方面担心孩子的能力，一方面不忍心孩子劳累。然而，西班牙的父母想法却大相径庭。
据英国广播公司（BBC）29日报道，西班牙国会近日通过了一项法律草案，要求儿童在家必须做家务。草案如果正式通过，孩子不做家务将属违法。
西班牙国会通过的这项法律草案是《儿童保护法》中的一部分，规定18岁以下的儿童，不论其年龄还是性别，都有义务参与包括照顾家庭和做家务在内的一切家庭生活。该项法律草案将写入“孩子的权利和义务”条目中。
Spanish children may soon be required to help out with housework, under a draft law that has been approved by parliament.
The measure, which would be part of a wider child protection law, says that children under the age of 18 have an obligation to participate in all areas of family life. That includes "co-responsibility in caring for the home and performing household tasks regardless of age and gender", the ABC newspaper says. The rules come under a section of the law called "the rights and duties of children".
Along with doing chores, children would also have to be respectful to their parents and teachers, and have a positive attitude towards learning. But the bill doesn't say anything about penalties for children who refuse to go along, the Local website reports. Other elements of the bill would see the establishment of a list of people who are banned from working with children, and it would become a crime for people who work with children to fail to report possible abuses against them.
Married Spanish men can also face legal sanctions for refusing to do housework - an update in 2005 to the marriage contract used for the country's civil ceremonies added a clause requiring men to share in household duties, and the care of children and elderly relatives.