Existing research in Jamaica on children and families has focused on family structure and function. The recent worldwide focus on the rights of children, particularly young children, has highlighted the absence of research on child rights in Jamaica. This article explores the implementation of protection and participation rights within the family, with a specific focus on protection from harsh punishment and abuse, including harsh work. Six child focus groups with 60 children and eight parent focus groups with 44 adults were held, with focus groups being socio-demographically representative of urban inner-city, urban middle-class and rural groups. Children were between 7 and 12 years and parents between 24 and 45 years. The children described a wide range of family structures. Harsh discipline was more common than demonstrated affection and approval, and levels of meaningful child participation were low across classes. The majority of parents believed in exercising strong authority, valued obedience and manners in their children, and defended the use of corporal punishment. Many parents described the interventions to amend their own life scripts in the ways they raised their children. This resulted in parental attention to children's education and economic advancement, provision of physical comforts and emotional support, altered approaches to corporal punishment and guidance on relationships. Using reflections of their own childhood, the development of amended scripts for parents is recommended as a powerful tool to encourage greater participatory rights for children and improve protection rights by reducing the use of harsh disciplinary measures and requirements for adult forms of work.