Smacking children: right or wrong?

an Siarach

When a child is very young the smack is used only to tell them what is right and what is wrong, they are too young to understand WHY but they will know that (whatever they did to earn it) is wrong and as they mature they will learn the reason why it is so and thus understand. It is worth pointing out that probably a majority of people were smacked as children at some point or other and have no ill characteristics as a result, it is only those who had the misfortune to be abused (be it through phyisical/emotional abuse or through their not receieving ANY discipline from parents) who show ill effects.

I agree, a clip round the ear every few days keeps the child in tip-top shape, and on their toes. They know that they step out of line, and a beating awaits. It rightly enforces a prison like discipline, where physical punishment is used as a last resort, or a first in some cases. Children need to be taught this from an early age. The world is a dangerous place. The faster they learn this, the better.

Reply 22

NDGAARONDI

16

This topic has been discussed before.

I would like to point out that 1 child a week dies from abusive parents. If this is true, and I have no idea where this statistic came from but was aired on the Politics Show, I can tell you that hardly any of these parents have not been brought to justice.

There is a correlation between child abusers and those who have been abused in the past. Sure I get what people are saying on smacking is sometimes a way to teach a lesson. But if there was really no need would you do it?

When I've been out and about in the streets and my local supermarket I've come across some abusive mothers. Smacking for the most pettiest of things. I was quite shocked to see this employee at Sainbsurys, though she was not on duty she was in the premises and with her uniform, hit 'her' child for a very pathetic reason. Now when I say 'her' it's more likely to be her grandson as she is like an old granny. I wasn't too impressed when I saw this. Okay she didn't hit him that hard and it was on the hand, but is this because she constrained herself from using too much force because of the pain it inflicts on the child, or because she's afraid someone like me is quite willing to take it to the police? I saw her facial expression which suggested the latter.

This was not my first experience of dubious smacking. And why is it that parents should be allowed to smack children's buttocks? Fucking hell, indecent assault or what. You should only do it, if it's that necessary, on the hand. You might not have to use that much force either, if you make it known he or she has done wrong, then that might get to the point.

There is also this programme on TV, forget the title, which shows how to cope with children, like by locking in them a room for 10 minutes or so. Very good technique for cry-a-lot attention seekers.

If parents only resort to smacking and thinks that will always work and is the only thing they know, then perhaps they should be made sterile.

There probably wouldn't be this fuss if people didn't abuse their priviledges (sp).

Smacking doesn't always work either.

Now has anyone seen that woman drag her child across the shop floor on TV in such a huff? Like she was swinging and everything. Those people should be locked up, even better made sterile so they cannot harm again. It's about time we break the circle of violence.

Reply 23

_Alan

personaly i think it works,

child does something wrong parents say dont do it, and then sod all else happens they do it again.

child does something wrong and gets smacked fot it, they feel pain and think i aint doing that again

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.com/beat.html

Mod Expression - Language Violation - Post Amended

Reply 24

immortal

10

Child beating and abuse is wrong. But sometimes all people need a slap to snap them out of hysterics, or if they are being completely unreasonable.
I don't think you should ever smack a child on a regualr basis, more if they are behaving very badly - and even so just lightly. They are likely to listen to you more from the shock of your unwillingness to back down, personified by a slap than if you just tell them.

Basically no mostly, but in extreme cases a light slap is acceptable, or at least justified.

Reply 25

Mineko

Is it ok to smack children?

Ever heard the saying "Kids do what you do , not what you tell them." There is really no reason to smack a child. If it has come to that then you have not done things right to begin with. There are plenty of ways to punish your kids without having to hurt them. Torture is not acceptable in the justice system, so why should we allow parents to use methods to punish their kids which burglars and Nazis has the right not to be exposed to when in prision? Physical punishment is prohibited as a mean of punishment in the Geneva convention on human rights. There are other ways of dealing with wrongdoings.

Reply 26

randdom

20

Mineko

Is it ok to smack children?

In the hands of a reasonable person I feel that a single light smack on the bum is acceptable as a form of punishment. I do however feel that it is unacceptable to smack a child below that age of three, because I don't think that it is fair.

I would support a ban to stop all smaking of children because I feel that it prevents the minority of parents who do go over the top from hurting their children unfairly. I don't think you need to smack your children to diciplin them. I mean one of my friends is very well behaved and always has been and her parents haven't smaked ever. I mean a variety of methods can be used by parents which don't involve physical punishment.

Also what sort of message does it send out to children when pain is used as a form of punishment. That it is ok? That because the parents are bigger they have the right to hurt the child? I don't think that these are good messages to be sending our children. I mean violence begets violence.

Reply 27

in some cases it is totally acceptable.
if a child is out of control and all else has failed e.g. talking a light smack is a suitable punishment and they can learn to associate bad behaviour with a smack which should encourage the child to behave better.
its when it becomes child abuse that its a problem
i was smacked as a child as were most people i know and it has made no difference to me so far.

Reply 28

immortal

10

Jonatan

Ever heard the saying "Kids do what you do , not what you tell them."

It's a nice saying, but its not always applicable. My dad drinks like a fish, and as a result I can't stand being drunk. He smokes and as a result there is nothing more repulsive to me than a cigarette. I love my dad, just not his habits.

Reply 29

immortal

It's a nice saying, but its not always applicable. My dad drinks like a fish, and as a result I can't stand being drunk. He smokes and as a result there is nothing more repulsive to me than a cigarette. I love my dad, just not his habits.

But if you teach the child that physical violence is a fair punishment for being "undiciplined" or not doing what you are told, what consequences will that have whenthe child grows up? Id say it is better if you are to mild with your kids than to strict, cus you are in a much more powerful position than they are, and they have little protection would you go to far.

Reply 30

icklehc

in some cases it is totally acceptable.
if a child is out of control and all else has failed e.g. talking a light smack is a suitable punishment and they can learn to associate bad behaviour with a smack which should encourage the child to behave better.
its when it becomes child abuse that its a problem
i was smacked as a child as were most people i know and it has made no difference to me so far.

If it has made no difference then why not ban it?

Reply 31

i didnt say dont ban it.
it wont make a difference either way.
the government can do as they wish but i think parents have the right to use suitable punishment to control their children.

Reply 32

Jonatan

If it has made no difference then why not ban it?

why ban it?!

Reply 33

randdom

20

icklehc

why ban it?!

Because it makes it easier to catch child abusers and may prevent some children from unecissary pain.

Reply 34

icklehc

why ban it?!

Because it is in contradiction with the human righst charter to begin with...

Also decreased violence at home will to some extent be reflected on the street.

Reply 35

randdom

Because it makes it easier to catch child abusers and may prevent some children from unecissary pain.

a written law wont prevent this.
just look how many rules are broken everyday by people.

Reply 36

randdom

20

icklehc

a written law wont prevent this.
just look how many rules are broken everyday by people.

It will make child abuse easier to spot because any beating can be investigated under the law. A parents can't just say it was a little smack when it is obviously more because even a little smack is illegal.

Reply 37

Jonatan

Because it is in contradiction with the human righst charter to begin with...

Also decreased violence at home will to some extent be reflected on the street.

im sorry but i cant see yet another law with good intentions affecting street crime.
if a child is out of control and cannot be smacked lightly for legal reasons it does not mean that he/she will refrain from punching someone at a later stage in life.

Reply 38

icklehc

im sorry but i cant see yet another law with good intentions affecting street crime.
if a child is out of control and cannot be smacked lightly for legal reasons it does not mean that he/she will refrain from punching someone at a later stage in life.

Perhaps not in every situation but very often it will. Kids learn by repeating what others do. Thus a decrease in violence at home is likely to affect the behaviour of the kid in the future. It will not be able to stop all violence, but it will help reduce it. There is also little reason to beleive smacking to be necessary. You can easily punish your kid on other ways (grounding him , locking him inside his room, withdrawing his allowance etc etc ) and I seriously doubt that there are many situations were physical violence can be considdered necessary. If it comes to that point, then I would personally say that it is time for the authorities to interveene, because if the situation in a family is so extreme that physical violence is necessary, then things have gone really wrong and are unlikely to get better without external interference.

Reply 39