Do you think it's acceptable for a parent to slap a kid on his/her face?

Question

Some parents do it in the case of extreme disrespect, but in my opinion it's never acceptable. I think it's even illegal.

Answer 1

Oh boy

I don't think it's out of extreme disrespect, more like extreme frustration.

It's not an acceptable parenting tactic. That said, some parents can "Lose" it. More often than not with teenagers, who, testing the limits, sometimes push parents. Like swearing at parents, breaking curfew, thinking they can do whatever they want in the parent's home. That sort of thing.

In cases like these, parents need to take a time out before striking. In exteme cases -- and I am talking ONLY EXTREME cases, where the teenager is totally disrupting the household, I've counselled tough love. Don't like the rules, leave. The parents should give the out of control youth the address of a youth shelter and bus fare. Failing that, I remind parents that by law they are only obligated to provide basic food, shelter, and clothing (not the expensive stuff) to their under 16 yr old. Over, obligated to provide nothing.

But no, slaps in the face solve nothing. Just make bad situations worse.

If the slap is to a pre teen, I'd be more concerned about child abuse. And there are kids help lines. If this is your case, please check your local phone directory and call.

Answer 2

I love how EVERYONE, no matter what generation they're from, says "Oh WE were spanked growing up and were sooo much better behaved" and then they think that in the next generation after them, nobody was spanked and kids became horrible. And geez, if you're only between 13 and 19 years old, I highly doubt things were much different at all when you were younger than they are now. Somebody born before the 90s would probably complain about people your age and rant about how spoiled you all are, and might also say you didn't get spanked. You say that parents "today" "can't do anything", but physical punishment is certainly still legal and around 70% of parents still do it. In the situation with the child crying over not getting candy, I'm actually more inclined to think people were shaking their heads at the child's behavior, not because the mother told him he was in trouble. Really, there seem to be a lot more people who judge and look down on parents/children when they are having a bad moment in public, than people getting upset over a parent scolding their child. I'm not saying the child's behavior should have just been excused, but this WAS just a total stranger in public and you have no idea what the situation was. Maybe the kid really was a total brat who does stuff like that all the time, but again, he also could have just been having a bad day. All kids will have their moments and most parents end up getting caught in an awkward/embarrassing situation like that in public at least once. People staring and shaking their heads certainly doesn't help.

Answer 3

1

Answer 4

Good question. I never believed in it or thought it would happen.
But once in my 27 yrs of parenting did I find it was necessary.
Funny how you think you would never do what you voiced and
thought you wouldn't. But, it was definitely necessary.

My daughter, from birth, weighing in at 10 lbs. 1 oz., believed she
was alpha dominant from day one. She is an MP3 in the Army
as we speak and her male peers tell me she holds her own!
I am 5' 2". The short version (no pun intended): we are in the food store and I had just completed a full day of work....we were at the checkout line where, of course, they had tons of candy, and she had not gotten her way for candy, the entire trip. She was 8 yrs of age and when I said, "No" to her umpteenth time of demanding candy yelled, at the top of her lungs, "Well, f*** you!" I slapped her across her cheek. It was strictly instinct and nothing more. But I also instinctively knew it was right. She was shocked and became silent as everyone was now watching. I proceeded to put items on the conveyor belt, when the woman behind me said, "I would never hit my child."
I immediately asked out loud, "And how many children do you
have?" Dead silence. I smiled and said, "I thought so." Not one
word was said by anyone else after that.

And, by the way, I have researched the MGL's and it is definitely not illegal. Only when there is longterm abuse/harm or longterm
ramifications from a single act is it determined abuse or criminal.
I was applauded at U/MA in a Family Abuse course for differentiating the lines between constructive corrective discipline vs. destructive. Have also been a Juvenile Diversion Officer.

Answer 5

I think in certain situations it is neccesary. I think it really is innapropriat for any child under the age of 12. I don't think it should be like a consequence 'If you do that or if you get that grade i will slap you. That is the totakl incorrect punishment. But when you are ina n argument with lets say a 14 year old and they turn around and yell F*** you mom/dad a qick painful slap will instatly put them int heir place. Also in a situation where you are in perhaps a car and the teen cusses It is pretty common that theparent will slap the teen. this really I think is acceptable depending on the househld and the rules.

Pleaser note this is coming from a 14 year old teen herself.

Answer 6

It is modelling the wrong sort of behavior to the child and ultimately is nonproductive because it can cause the child's resentment to "go underground." It undermines the parent's authority as the adult, although, it is perfectly understandable sometimes that a parent would want to in the face of extreme provacation! However the parent IS the adult. It is important for a parent to be the one in control - when a parent slaps that parent has lost control which the child realizes-and to establish the boundaries by appropriate discipline even if it is necessary to seek counselling to learn how to do so. I AM surprised it is considered illegal or even child abuse if it happens once depending on what the circumstances are.

Answer 7

It is legal to hit a child (providing it's your child) with an open hand, but I'm not sure if a specific body part is legal or not (face vs bottom), leaving marks is not legal. I have never hit my daughter and I do not plan on doing so. I know some folks believe that if you "spare the rod you spoil the child". But I am a firm believer in mutual respect with my child. There are so many other ways to discipline a child, a slap should never be an option in my opinion.

Answer 8

I'm from the old school days....so with that being said....it really depends on how that kid has been raised. If you rarely ever disciplined your kid and he/she cusses you out in public and embarrasses you....then NO...that's why you should have done the constant disciplining from time they could first talk. But if you know your kid knows better than that and for some strange reason he/she thinks that they could get away with it....then YES. A slap that comes at them from no where will bring them back to reality.

Answer 9

"Spare the rod and spoil the child." This child abuse thing has gotten way out of hand. Children today show no respect. It's because the parents don't discipline the children the good old fashioned way. I work in a school and see it all the time. A slap in the mouth sure would not kill a kid and sure would make him/her think twice before smart mouthing again. But that is my opinion (my kids are still alive!).

Have a nice day!

Answer 10

Slapping a child for punishment is perfectly acceptable when they have earned it through disrespecting their parents. It is NOT child abuse, it would be if they were slapped repeatedly or if the slap left bruises or something to that effect.