[Beebumble]

(Original post by whyumadtho)
That was just a prod at his constant use of the term in other debates I've has with him.

I see but my point still stands a lot of people on here seem to think it's this huge insult.

[ROYP]

(Original post by Chronist)
"I can't explain why what you're doing is wrong so I'm just going to hit you"

Cheers for that. That was posted by someone who voted no and I wanted to hear from someone who voted yes. Imbecile.

[Gales]

(Original post by Beebumble)
This being a student forum there'd be very few parents.
Whilst not a parent myself my views are based on what I've heard a lot of my friends who are parents say.

Us here may not have experience on being parents we've all been children.

I was smacked as a child, as were all my friends. We've all turned out fine...

[T-Toe]

(Original post by Beebumble)
If you messed up at work you don't expect your boss to smack you. So why do it to someone just because they can't hit back?

We'd expect you to have matured into a decent human being by then. Adult's communications skills are more enhanced than children's so communication may be deemed most suitable.

Children tend to communicate physically rather than verbally to convey a point. I can't sit and have a conversation with a 4 year old. They tend to have very short attention spans. Children's programmes are less verbal and more physical and look how much they concentrate when watching Children's TV. The most suitable way of communicating is physical. I'm not saying spanking is the way forward but parents need to be physical in some way.

[Zelex]

I personally don't see anything wrong with "spanking". I see it as just another method of instilling discipline. It works for some children, it doesn't for some. Plain and simple.

I also think may we need to define what we call "spanking", many on here seem to be confusing it with malicious intent.

[yothi5]

(Original post by ROYP)
They shouldn't be trained like animals. Teach/tell them why things are wrong. People should want to do the right thing out of morality, not because they'll get a smack otherwise.

There is no link between spanking a child for the sake of discipline and encouraging future behaviour and training an animal for whatever reason.

[Beebumble]

(Original post by Gales)
I was smacked as a child, as were all my friends. We've all turned out fine...

I never said you didn't but it doesn't take away from the fact I still think it's lazy parenting.

[yothi5]

Anyway, preventing spanking is just like PC gone wild.

[Gales]

(Original post by Beebumble)
I never say you didn't but it doesn't take away from the fact I still think it's lazy parenting.

Uhmm, yeah ok.

[happygolucky.]

(Original post by 331sam331)
I don't see what the problem is. When I was little, and did something that was obviously wrong, and then chatted back to my mum or dad I was duly punished.

(basically I plastered the ceiling of a school toilet in wet toilet roll when I was like 7.)

.

Wetting toilet roll and throwing it up to hit the ceiling... Happy happy primary school days

[Beebumble]

(Original post by T-Toe)
We'd expect you to have matured into a decent human being by then. Adult's communications skills are more enhanced than children's so communication may be deemed most suitable.

Children tend to communicate physically rather than verbally to convey a point. I can't sit and have a conversation with a 4 year old. They tend to have very short attention spans. Children's programmes are less verbal and more physical and look how much they concentrate when watching Children's TV. The most suitable way of communicating is physical. I'm not saying spanking is the way forward but parents need to be physical in some way.

If a child needs restraining then yes of course you need to get physical for the safety of themselves and others around them but that's different to smacking them when there is no immediate danger. There are lots of people in society who can not communicate verbally due to various disabilities would that make it ok to hit them?

On a side 4 year olds are able to hold a conversation it won't be very intellectual but it's a conversation nevertheless.

[Dirac Delta Function]

(Original post by laura loo)
I don't think it's ever acceprable to hit a child. I've always worked in schools and nurseries with young children, and believe me there are many more effective ways to discipline.

I don't understand parents who tell their children it's wrong to hit, shout and swear, when they do all these themselves. Hypocrites

You think it's wrong to shout at children?

[ROYP]

(Original post by yothi5)
There is no link between spanking a child for the sake of discipline and encouraging future behaviour and training an animal for whatever reason.

It's exactly the same. You might hit your dog on the nose for trying to bite you or something, in the hope you will discourage it happening again. In both cases you're using negative reinforcement to alter future behaviour.

[pipsi]

(Original post by Zelex)
I also think may we need to define what we call "spanking", many on here seem to be confusing it with malicious intent.

I'm assuming the OP was referring to spanking or smacking a child to punish it for wrong-doing. I'm sure everyone here will agree that child abuse consisting of persistent beatings is another thing entirely.

I still believe that hitting a child for any reason is wrong, even a spank to punish a child, like many others have said it is just lazy parenting.

[ForensicShoe]

I was spanked.

And I'm a perfectly normal teen...DAMN YOU FATHER...ager.

[ihatethispart]

I think people who believe that hitting children will make them grow up a violent child are just assuming the worst. Many people I know, myself included, were hit as children but still grew up calm and passive because that's just my personality. Occasional spanking is not the same as abuse, it's used to associate pain with wrong actions when children are too young to understand why did wrong through words. My parents only hit me for a few years and they'd talk to me instead after I was older.

I don't believe it's any lazier a method than not explaining what they did wrong and taking away their toys or sending them to their room. I think people tend to overestimate a child's ability to understand why something they did is wrong (especially if they get joy out of it e.g. defacing furniture or stealing sweets) when they say that talking to them is enough. I don't think any parent would want to hit their child, it's most probably a last resort when all else fails.

[ameelia22]

Is it just me that thinks spanking is a bit weird...particularly as it's used a lot in a sexual context...

[turkishdisco]

I agree with the reasons that people give for NOT smacking children. That said, I'm not a parent and I have no experience with screaming, unruly children - your moral standing on this must fly out of the window when you just cannot control them.
I don't think it should be outlawed, but I think if parents can avoid it, they should.

[Zelex]

(Original post by pipsi)
I'm assuming the OP was referring to spanking or smacking a child to punish it for wrong-doing. I'm sure everyone here will agree that child abuse consisting of persistent beatings is another thing entirely.

I still believe that hitting a child for any reason is wrong, even a spank to punish a child, like many others have said it is just lazy parenting.

Fair enough, although I disagree, I was spanked as a child and I ended up perfectly fine, and TBH I have never felt resentful to my parents for it, when looking back. I don't at all feel it is lazy parenting, it may seem that way in certain scenario's portrayed, however it is much more a complex situation. As I mentioned previously spanking works for some and doesn't for others. I just see as another method for instilling discipline. I have no problems with those who choose the to or not.

[Namige]

Josef Fritzl voted yes.