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void makeCopy(Parent *instanceToCopy)
{
  Child childInstance;

  /* won't work anymore:
     because of private copy constructor and assignment operator */
  Child copy1 = childInstance;
  Child copy2(childInstance);

  /* won't work anymore:
     the instance would lose all 'Child' specific data! */
  Parent dangerousCopy(instanceToCopy);

  /* will work for now:
     copying correctly with the clone method */
  Clone *secureCopy = instanceToCopy.clone();

  // ...
}

class Clone
{
  public:

    virtual ~Clone
      (void) {}

    // pure virtual clone method
    virtual Clone *clone
      (void) const = 0;
};

class Parent : public Clone
{
  private:

    // private copy constructor
    Parent
      (const Parent &);
    // private copy assignment operator
    Parent &operator =
      (const Parent &);

  public:

    Parent
      (void) {}

    // clone method to create a copy
    Clone *clone
      (void) const {return new Parent(*this);}
};

class Child : public Parent
{
  private:

    // private copy constructor
    Child
      (const Child &);
    // private copy assignment operator
    Child &operator =
      (const Child &);

  public:

    Child
      (void) {}

    // clone method to create a copy
    Clone *clone
      (void) const {return new Child(*this);}
};

Parent::Parent(const Parent &source)
{
  /*
    copy data from source instance to this one:
    property1 = source.property1;
    ...
  */
}

Parent &Parent::operator = (const Parent &source)
{
  /*
    copy data from source instance to this one:
    property1 = source.property1;
    ...
  */
  return *this;
}

Child::Child(const Child &source)
{
  /*
    copy data from source instance to this one:
    property1 = source.property1;
    ...
  */
}

Child &Child::operator = (const Child &source)
{
  /*
    copy data from source instance to this one:
    property1 = source.property1;
    ...
  */
  return *this;
}