Wales to bring in smacking ban.

I wouldn't describe it as fear.

Have you ever heard of the police? They are the parents to adults and discipline them with physical harm if they are not doing things right. I also believe there is a strong difference between child abuse and just disciplining a child. It's sad to think that sometimes it's better to be cruel at times to be kind, disciplining in the now to help them later. I neither agree or disagree with the ruling at the time but just putting out some opinions.

You fear being caused pain so you don't that same action again.


The police avoid doing physical harm unless absolutely necessary and proportionate in the situation.
Have you ever heard of reasonable force?

I will never support violence or cruelty against children, there are plenty of options to discipline a child without resorting to violence.

I agree with you. I don't support children being harmed but there is a difference between a smack on the bottom and a punch in the face.

You fear being caused pain so you don't that same action again.


The police avoid doing physical harm unless absolutely necessary and proportionate in the situation.
Have you ever heard of reasonable force?

You both seem to want to say every little slap is being done with full strength to leave behind a mark. A small slap can easily be used in some scenarios without causing any damage and harming people. I got slapped a few times when I was young and then I started apologising when I had to, or I stopped doing something wrong. It only happened a few times but those few times it was deserved for bad behaviour.

I don’t see why you keep expanding this out to beating adults and sexually abusing children, that is not what I have ever said I agree with and just makes your posts look like they have no thought behind them. Who could possibly say abusing a baby is ok, if that’s how you are going to respond then this exchange is over as you aren’t going to understand what I’ve tried to describe.

The majority of parents discipline in the same way.

It’s difficult to be so black and white unless you are a parent
My sons have never been hit. Fortunately for me they were well behaved.
I was smacked as a child. Never by my father but my mum was rather fond of a slap here and there.
I do not believe it has caused me harm. I suffer no consequences.
What concerns me more are the alternative methods those parents will employ instead.
One of my younger neighbours is proud to say she’s never hit her children. I’ve never seen her do it. But the way she gets down and screams vile language in their faces has to have far more lasting effects than a light slap would

Of course there is a difference but the fact remains both are violent and both can cause lasting psychological damage.

Why risk damaging your child when it could be avoided?

Studies have shown time and time again that violent physical punishment can have lasting damage, that is not being "black and white" that is a proven outcome backed by evidence.

The alternative to non violent should not be verbally abusive, that is taking a step once again in the wrong direction.

Violence and abuse should never be employed when raising children, I would think that is common sense. But common sense isn't common.

The thing is you can also cause lasting psychological damage by not disciplining your child by giving them the idea that these things are not punishable and that they can do what they want free from punishment. Yes, you can discipline a child by telling them off. Do you think the parents actually like 'spanking' their kids and get enjoyment out of it as I personally don't? It would most likely hurt the parents as much as the child but they know that they are doing it for them 'being cruel in the moment to be kind'.

The thing is you can also cause lasting psychological damage by not disciplining your child by giving them the idea that these things are not punishable and that they can do what they want free from punishment. Yes, you can discipline a child by telling them off. Do you think the parents actually like 'spanking' their kids and get enjoyment out of it as I personally don't? It would most likely hurt the parents as much as the child but they know that they are doing it for them 'being cruel in the moment to be kind'.

But no one here is saying that children shouldn't be disciplined. Refusing to smack your children does not mean you're letting them get away with everything or giving them the message that unacceptable behaviours are OK, that's a false dichotomy. There are a million and one ways you can get your children to see something is wrong without striking them, or are you implying that when someone is not longer hit they lose the ability to differentiate between right and wrong and cannot recognise the consequences of their actions?

I'm not advocating no punishment, there seems to be this idea that if you don't hit your children they aren't being punished. This is utter nonsense, there are plenty of options for non-violent punishment that is proven effective and most importantly safe.

Why risk damaging your child when it isn't necessary?

I don't understand why you are comparing adults to children. If an adult assaulted someone they would be prosecuted and expect to get hit back, they understand their actions. Children are not yet fully developed and so they are a lot harder to make them understand right from wrong. I literally said in the above statement that you can obviously discipline your child in different ways. My dad is a kind, loving, caring and supportive man and would verbally discipline me when I was misbehaving (of-course) but he also knew that sometimes he had to do something he didn't like to help me for the future. He taught me to respect and made me understand right from wrong and I am grateful for him disciplining me as a child as I know that he, although he didn't like it, had to be cruel to be kind. Just so you know, my dad was not abusive and abusive parents are obviously disgusting but what my dad did to me was not abuse, it was discipline.

Who are you to say that a smack on the bottom scares children? Mental abuse can be just as, or if not more damaging to children than physical as they are at such a young age and easy to manipulate. Saying this also shows that yes, you can teach your children to learn right from wrong through other ways but sometimes a smack on the bum is needed to set an example. I see children running around these days doing what they like with no fear of punishment.

And nothing about children being underdeveloped merits them being struck! I already said there many ways you can discipline a child without resorting to violence, such as grounding, taking away their phone, console, naughty step and so on and so forth. You have provided no evidence whatsoever that hitting is any more effective than these and we know that striking has the potential to cause physical and psychological damage. You don't have to be physically cruel to be kind, just because it may have worked on some people doesn't mean it's necessary. I too was hit lightly as a child but I recognise that I would not have turned into a rude delinquent if the slapping had been spared. You are making no reasonable argument at all for why hitting is more effective and beneficial than non-violent punishments.

There are some truly bad parents around. And what concerns me most is what will go on that no one can see anymore

Who are you to say that a smack on the bottom scares children? Mental abuse can be just as, or if not more damaging to children than physical as they are at such a young age and easy to manipulate. Saying this also shows that yes, you can teach your children to learn right from wrong through other ways but sometimes a smack on the bum is needed to set an example. I see children running around these days doing what they like with no fear of punishment.

First of you didn't provide any examples, you just said "millions of ways to discipline a child"

Second, you say I have provided no evidence that physical discipline doesn't work, or at least doesn't work as good as other punishments but you have also provided no evidence to state the opposite. Also, I'm not an expert and I said this. I am not providing a factual report, just simply putting an opinion out there. Why do I have to provide evidence for an opinion? I have never said that spanking a child is better than other discipline methods, I said the opposite in fact saying that I think they both work.
Third. As you said, you were hit lightly as a child, would you of wanted your parents to potentially be prosecuted for smacking you lightly, I sure know I wouldn't.
Overall I was simply stating an opinion from both sides, that's all. I am not an advocate for abuse of children, just trying to show that sometimes parents discipline their children and it hurts them too, that's all.

This doesn't make any sense.

If they know what they are doing is wrong then they will do it in private.
If they don't know any better they will do it in public.

Banning smacking children isn't going to change that. Does smacking children in public make it better?

Don't take my word for it, but will you listen to Pediatricians?

Why are you bringing up mental abuse? Abuse is wrong (I shouldn't need to state that).

What example do you sent? To me it says that violence is acceptable, yet we teach children not to be violent. Seems conflicting to me.

And what you do want to do with those children, be violent?