Should parents be allowed to slap their child without being condemned as a child-abuser?

Question

There are so many good answers, I don't know which to choose. I'll come back later.

Answer 1

you can't reason with these little bastards so the parent has to do what they can to get the little heathen to listen. Kids these days think they have it so rough! Boohoo.

Answer 2

It depends where? I certainly wouldn't condone a parent slapping their child around the face or head, but a sharp slap on the bottom/hand/leg as a last resort didn't do me or my brother any harm at all.... I've smacked my 6 year old on very rare occassions when nothing else has worked, generally the threat of a smack is enough to stop him doing what he's doing.

The reason why governments are trying to ban smacking in some countries is that some parents are fundamentally stupid think smacking a child means beating them, either with a hand, belt or slipper, this clearly is wrong and I would like to beat the parents who do this to their children with a big stick.

The problem is that laws are made for the terminally stupid and not for us good parents who understand the difference between right and wrong.

Answer 3

I think that children need to have discpline. That's what's wrong with the kids these days. They walk all over their parents. I am shocked at the way that children treat their parents. I feel that a parent should be able to displine their child however they see fit as long as they don't leave a mark. I am a teacher and I can't tell you how many times the child runs the show. The parents think that their child does no wrong. What happened to the day when children were scared of the teacher calling their parents or even going to the prinicpal. So yes I feel that children should be spanked or punished as long as it doesn't cross the line.

Answer 4

Theres a big difference between discipline and abuse and while most of us can appreciate this line, there are a few who overstep it and use their children as punchbags and ways to vent their frustration. But spanking as part of discipline, AS A LAST RESORT, shouldnt be viewed as abuse. I was smacked maybe 3 times in my whole childhood (Im 26 now), the rest f the time a word, or even just a look, from my Mum was enough to make me shut up and rethink and that has stayed with me all through my life! I think that the 'no smacking' way of thinking has led to a lack of respect from children. I never thought Id say that but its the only reason I can see for kids now being so out of control and disrespectful to their peers.

Answer 5

If the child deserves it, and their a little know it all brat, then you should leave it to the kids their age. Eventually they will get slapped, but you shouldn't slap them. Lecture them and tell them what the did wrong, why it was wrong and start with something simple. Start with time outs- then go to groundings. Don't give up on the simple things just the first times, do them for a while. And if it doesn't get better, then its legal to spank them. But you should never slap a child.

Answer 6

Sometimes parents are at the end of their tether and they may slap their child as a reaction and while i am not saying it is right for them to do that it does not make them a child abuser. All it means is they are needing a little help IE maybe a break for a night, some time to their self. Lets face it, its stressful having teens etc....

Answer 7

I love the people that say inane things like "there is never a reason to hit a child, ever" what a bunch of morons. And note that the children of these people are usually the worst-behaved little cretins.
The FACT is that pain is an evolutionary mechanism that tells us that something we are doing will cause us harm. I smacked the hand of my son when he was 2 for trying to put a fork into the wall socket. Know what? he never did it again. He learned, and quickly, that his actions would cause him pain (in this case, the quick and temporary pain of me smacking the back of his hand, rather than the pain associated with having 110 volts of AC power coursing through his body, quite possibly killing him).
So for anyone to say that there is NEVER a reason to hit a child is a moron at best, and a piss-poor parent at worst.

Answer 8

A child needs to know there are repercussions for their actions. The main thing is that the parent should not punish a child when the parent is angry. The offense should be explained to the child and then the punishment administered to the butt never the head or face. The child must learn from the hiding and the parent should insure the child knows that he or she is loved and that the discipline was issued so that they would learn from it.

Answer 9

well, it all depends on situations.
some people want to label parents as "child abusers" just b/c they don't agree with their parenting techniques....some parents are even afraid to admit that they spank their kids around friends for fear of that "gasp" some parents give when hearing this....

there's a fine line between discipline and abuse.

first, it takes an objective point of view. if you step outside of what you feel and beleive about spanking, then look at the situation.
was that kid doing something they shouldn't? did that parent spank hard enough to get the kid's attention, but not hard enough to physically mark the child?? then, let them alone. that is how they are raising their kid.

was the kid doing something really minor and the parent just bakchanded them across the face....was there anger from the parent and a sense of uncontrol agression?? was there a mark left by the hit??
this is more of a case of abuse.

my parents spanked my sister, brother and myself and i don't feel that we were ever abused.
i have some friends that spank and i never thought they abused their kids. one mom friend of mine gives a little slap on the mouth...not a real slap, just a bop, if they are tlaking back or using inappropriate language (amazing what kids learn at school...seriosuly!). her kids understand that punishment and rarely do they backtalk or use bad language.

it's all about parenting techniques and individual preference.

so, before you label and judge look at the whole situation from an outside point of view and not your own biased one:)

take care.

Answer 10

Slap!!!!! Did you say slap!!!! no one deserves to be slapped.
If you mean a pop on the bum ok, never in anger and never when the child may be tired or hungry (brings out the worst in them lol).

There are loving, responsible parents who spank when needed and they should never be grouped with the abusers. It is not a fine line. Abuse is depriving a child of the things she needs to live happily and healthily. Discipline is done with control and love.

Answer 11

There's a huge difference between a slap on the butt and a slap across the face. There's a difference between a spank to get the child's attention and a beating. The problem lies in those who can't make that distinction and go too far.