Smacking children - right or wrong?

W

wibble

Corpse
In the UK (where I live) in 2004, the House of Lords voted and decided that parents should be allowed to smack their children.

But rules were brought in that would punish them if they left red marks or bruises after smacking them.

They didn't want to ban it completely because too many parents would be punished for less serious smacking.

So, do you think that smacking is ok if it's not too hard?

Perhaps you think it depends on the situation...

Or do you think there should be a complete ban as a smack's still a smack, no matter how hard?

What's your opinion? Would you smack your children if you had them? And those of you already with children, how do you feel about the issue?
 
Wow. Ask the hard questions, why don't you. But it's a good one.

When my sister and I were young, my dad would spank us if we 'misbehaved'. It was never that hard, never more than once at a time. Never left a mark. Just enough to let us know we were in trouble.
I don't think that makes my dad a bad person. He just needed a way to discipline.

That being said, though... It's a very fine line, and hard to tell if it's been crossed or not.

If I had kids of my own, I wouldn't. I'd just yell a lot :lol:
 
I'd say it's not at all acceptable, it is a form of abuse. I was never spanked or smacked by my parents, and I would never do it to my kids.
 
As long as it doesn't cause bruising or any other damage.

I've learnt stuff in a hard way and yes, today you'd get in trouble for that but I never made same mistake again. Mostly got my hair grabbed :p

I was just thinking in the other day that society is way too sensitive. Teachers cannnot even remove troublemakers from the classroom because even with little contact kids/teens start to scream "OMG! HE HIT ME!" and then byebye teacher.

I'm sorry but only yelling... kids realise soon that those are just words and they do the same again. There has to be a way to make sure that kids understand that when parents say no, they mean it and if they do it again - they'll get punished.

You think why there is more and more trouble with teenagers and kids - this is the reason. A kid can terrorise whole Kindergarden just because "Nothing" can be done and they have all power and they realise it really, really soon.
 
It's a very difficult question but I don't think it's acceptable. I've been spanked a few times by my dad and sometimes he would grab my arm a little hard and stuff but it was always because I did something wrong and I was being punished. I would personally never do it to my kids but that's just me. I think that when people go overboard that's when it becomes a problem. Children should never be afraid of their parents.
 
DaWacko said:
^Not afraid but they have to know parents are the ones in charge ;)
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Oh I knew my parents were the ones in charge! :lol: :p I was a bit scared of my dad though. When he got mad he had an awful temper. I love my dad to death but he can be kind of scary :p He's gotten a lot better over the years but I always knew I never wanted to get in trouble with my dad because of that. I agree that kids need to know who's in charge in the household (especially teenagers :p) but when things get too serious there's a major problem. When kids start getting hurt there's a problem.
 
DaWacko said:

I'm sorry but only yelling... kids realise soon that those are just words and they do the same again. There has to be a way to make sure that kids understand that when parents say no, they mean it and if they do it again - they'll get punished.
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I agree with this wholeheartedly. If you only yell and have no backup, it begins to have an empty feeling. There is no reprecussions to your words. My grandson is this way, you can watch his parents tell him something and his eyes glaze over and it goes right through his ears. He knows they don't have any backup agenda. They're just words.

There is a HUGE difference between abuse and a minor smack/spanking. If the smack leaves a mark, welt, or bruise its VERY unacceptabl and should be considered abuse.
 
I was brought up where me and my brother would be smaked if we did something big wrong, my mums favourite used to be the back of my shins that used to sting, yes I used to have a red mark afterwards but I never did it again.

I dont see why pearents shouldnt smack it's an affective form of dicipline words are words they mean nothing to a toddler. If a toddler where to approach an open coal fire and that pearent stood there saying no it would have no affect but a slap to the back of the hand or bottom works.

If I ever had kids I would smak them in certain situations not so hard that it brused them though

There is a difference between beating wich is abuse and the occasional smack and people have to realise that!
 
My first teacher btw was old school and if we were inside when we had to be out on a break or went to ask from kitchen what we had for lunch... she grabbed our hair, made few quick rounds with her finger so she got some hair around her finger and then lifted. Oh that joy.
 
Im only 16 but when I was about 6 I had a school teacher that would grab us and shake us harshly if we did something wrong and thats only 10 years ago and they stoped punishment like that while my mum was in school :lol: it still goes on but its a way of teching kids right from wrong.
 
I am with Ducky on this one. I was never smacked but my mom had that look and you might know that one, the one that says try it again and your done. That did it for me.
 
lol i was a cheeky child my mum would say youve got till the count of three and she would go 1.....2.....3 and i would stand my ground but right after she would say 3 i would run lol :lol:
 
absolutely, positively, under any and all circumstances it is not ok to hit a child. it is completely unnecessary and there are much better ways to discipline a child than hitting them.
i think it also sends very mixed messages to a child, well you cant hit anyone who make you angry but if i think youve done something i get to hit you. and say what you will about dr. phil, he makes a good point on this. a child looks at their parents as someone who loves them, takes care of them, and protects them. what are they supposed to think about their parents if they cause them hurt and pain? no matter how lightly a smack is, it hurts.
i have volunteered with and babysat what you might call 'busy' children. and even if they misbehave never is there a need to hit them as punishment. dont underestimate the power of talking calmly to a child or time out. i have had brothers screaming bloody murder at each other, they get sent to their rooms til they calm down and everything is fine. ive been babysitting those two for 5 years and have sent them to their rooms about 3 times, and they have only given me reason to do so those 3 times.
 
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