'smacking' children... a fair disipline or unlawful behaviour?

Question

just wondered what people's views are on 'smacking' there children? do you think its wrong that parents are allowed to smack? do you think its just cruel and should it be made illegal? or would you say its fair to smack a child for misbehaving etc as punishment? who on here can admit to smacking there children? i haven't got children myself, but i know that i would never hit my children when my time comes to become a parent... but as a child, my mum and dad use to smack me if i misbehaved.. whats peoples views?

Answer 1

Smacking children should be treated as seriously as smacking adults.

Smacking adults does result in in a criminal prosecution because it is a barbaric act, one which is so uncivilised that it must be stopped.

Smacking children is 100 times more severe, because children do not have the same power as adults, therefore, not only is it physical abuse, but it's bullying too and both of these have a long lasting emotional impact on the child's well being.

Smacking children should be made illegal across the world.

Answer 2

I admit to smacking my Son occasionally, but only as a last resort if no other reasonable punishment (e.g talking, shouting) doesn't work, and it is only very occasionally. I was smacked as a child and it did me no harm, I grew up respecting my elders, the problem these days is that people are afraid to punish their children and so the children are becoming disrespectful and knowing that they get away with misbehaving they do it all the more because there are no repercussions for them. I knew if I misbehaved or was cheeky to my elders I would be punished for it and it was enough of a deterrent for me not to do it. Smacking in my opinion is a fair discipline, although there is a fine line between a smack and excessive smacking which should be classed abusive behaviour towards a child.

Answer 3

There are so many things in life that cannot be left to be decided by the law even if the law definitely has something to say. It much depends on the mature and responsible judgement of us parents as to how to deal with a misbehaving child. A kid does need to be smacked at times. I was smacked as a child and I do hit my child though very rarely. The stress is always upon handling a child with love and care.
But I feel the right to smack is always on a parent , never teachers nor any other adult. The judgement on any other person can always be biased

Answer 4

Kids learn primarily through imitation. If thye are misbehaving then they have learned that from someone. resorting to smacking is probably becaue parents have failed to set a good example (e.g. do as I say not do as I do!). My boy is nine and I've only smacked him once, and that was because I was sleep deprived and had too much coffee which makes me snappy; and I regret it. If your child feels very loved then your disapproval is often enough to modify behaviour. The more you smack the less they'll feel loved and the more you'll have to smack. My dad took a belt to me when I was 12 for passing notes in class and getting a detention. I never trusted him again. Smacking doesn't work, it only leads children to believe that violence is a good way of controlling things you don't like. Discipline is essnetial but there are all kinds of ways like losing Playstation or TV privilges, no pocket money etc. During a troublesome patch I docked some of his pocket money. He got the idea very quickly. He's really well behaved becasue his mum and I are, we talk things out and explain why some things are wrong. Punishment just leads kids to feel oppressed and ashamed.

Answer 5

I'm not trying to sound like a cruel person. Yeah maybe a spanking hurts, for 5 minutes but people seem to talk as if people start wailing on children. Yeah it hurts but so does yelling, taking away priviliges, any type of punishment is going to upset a child, that is the point. Policemen are allowed to use force because it is assumed that they will not abuse that power. Parents should go about whacking childern and laughing at the pain.

I was only spanked once in my life. It was because I wanted a candy bar in Target and continued the argument into the car and then actually grabed the steering wheel while my father was driving and turned it as hard as i could. I was old enough to know not to grab the steering wheel but young enough to not really relize what it could have done. We swirved and my dad pulled over and spanked me. Personally I will always remember that and personally i think i deserved it.

I also remember the times when my mother really yelled at me which was far worse to me then my father giving me the spanking. Communication is a great thing to have with children, but i read someones anwser to a different question saying you should never be firm. Children as well as adults need to show respect at all times. That is the way life works. Punishment is what you make it. My boyfriend right now was spanked and he is a very well behaved man. And a 3.8 honor student, and becomming a Dr. (sorry i'm proud of him) but i know some people claim it causes mental problems. So does yelling and lack of discipline. Spanking should depend on the kid and the parents.

Answer 6

I think smacking is totally unneccesary and teaches the child that violence is a way to solve things. It shows a parent who has lost self-control and cannot think beyond lashing out. Ok, I've been lucky and my 5yr old son is well behaved but he has time-outs and these have always worked really well. In my opinion children need to be protected and maybe smacking should be made illegal but perhaps its taking things a little far and I'm not sure how such a law would be policed. Perhaps a better way to tackle the problem would be by parenting classes which help people find the skills and ability not to resort to smacks?

Answer 7

I used to get smacked too when I was a child, and I don't think it's done me any harm.

However, I personally wouldn't smack my children as I don't think it's very effective means of discipline. I used to think the 'praise and reward' thing psychologists talk about (where you reward good behaviour instead of threatening to punish for bad) was a load of namby-pamby cr*p.

But recently I have spent a lot of time with children and seen for myself that it does work much better than smacking, shouting, or other types of punishment. What's more, the parents and children enjoy each other's company more, rather than engaging in the battle of wills the whole time. If I have children, I want to enjoy them growing up, not spend precious time hitting them.

As for outlawing it, I don't think it will stop child abuse anyway. It will just drive it underground (like most things that are outlawed imho).

Answer 8

the word smacking just makes it sound bad, I think if a child knows not to be doing something they should be displinced. For some kids time out does it, or taking something away. I was spanked as a child and I don't think it hurt me (not emotionally anyways) Smacking a child for no reason, just like hitting a child for no reason is always wrong.

Answer 9

I was smacked as a child and I don't think it did me any harm, in fact I think I had more respect for my parents because of it. However I have children now and I don't smack them. I just feel too guilty. I think personally there are better ways to discipline my kids. I don't have a problem with people smacking their own kids within reason if that's what actually works for them the best, but if it's an automatic reaction to raise your hand to your child if they are naughty then I WOULD have a problem with that.

Answer 10

I agree to smacking on the bum. I don't agree with slapping or hitting, I don't think it is necessary if you educate and teach your children good behaviour. All the bad behaved children that I know, are only bad behaved because of there parents, and that is not down to smacking, its down to discipline, and the parents don't want there children to hate them so they get away with murder. I never got smacked when I was a child (only on the bum). My mum used to have this look, when she wasn't happy with what I was doing or what I did, I would get the look. even get it now and I'm 22 lol...