Smacking yes or no

Jiggers77

So I have just engaged in a lively debate with work colleagues, a mix of men and women about the pros and cons of smacking children, a really old chestnut I know!. To my relief the vast majority of us were opposed to this but one guy was very pro and even went as far as to say if he had kids (Thank God he doesnt) he would have no problem taking his belt to them and believe me he wasnt kidding. Hes the same age as myself (37) and I was gob smacked.
I thought punishing kids like that went out with the arc. I was the youngest of four boys growing up and as a child of the 80's often found myself at the business end of the old mans belt, that was how things were down in those times but surely not today.
Whats the consensus? Does anyone else out there feel that its appropriate? Surely its not even legal to hit kids like that these days. Im still amzed at his attitude. I couldnt even imagine laying a hand on a child!

NothingMan

I got a clatter if I was being a little shit and it done me no harm.

uch

Here we go again, Gets popcorn

Mr Benevolent

If you have to resort to hitting a kid to get them to do what you want then you're not doing it right. Parents that hit kids regularly tend not to be too bright.

Jester252

Did a smack do you any harm?

Dr.MickKiller

Yeah, spank me.

Jiggers77

Mr Benevolent wrote: »

If you have to resort to hitting a kid to get them to do what you want then you're not doing it right.

My sentiment exactly! Smacking is one thing using a belt is something else

stimpson

Ask him does he slap his missus.

All the excuses used for hitting kids used to be rolled out to support wifebeating.

eviltwin

Smacking isn't something I've needed to do with my kids but maybe I'm just lucky mine are okay. I know sometimes its hard not to but I grew up in a house where everything that we did wrong was dealt with by a smack. Once my dad smacked me and whatever happened I ended up falling backwards and hit my head against a table corner, I had to go to hospital and needed 10 stitches. My dad got a real shock that day and never hit us again.

Duggy747

What about the wooden spoon, the Irish Mammy's nuclear option?

Captain Chaos

All the kids I see being brought up today with no smacking mostly are cheeky as fuk and run a muck constantly and don't think twice about. The parents are just like "stop that now jonny", it falls on deaf ears. If I acted like that when younger I'd be battered, so I didn't carry on like that.

major bill

Mr Benevolent wrote: »

If you have to resort to hitting a kid to get them to do what you want then you're not doing it right. Parents that hit kids regularly tend not to be too bright.

Yea cos the nice/bribe approach works so well

If a child is been a little bollox then a slap is needed, the majority of people on this forum i say got slapped as a child and are mostly doing all right in life.

Its excessive Violence thats the problem.

cantdecide

A parent is not to know the long term consequences of smacking their kids. To some children, you might say it 'works'. They straightem right up. To more, they will recall it simply as a violent act.

Best err on the side of caution, IMO.

Sergeant

Smacking. Absolutely not. Putting them in a coal bunker for the night so they can have a good long think about what they've done - definitely.

Tasden

I got the occasional smack as a child and it did me no harm. I have never felt the need to hit my own child but I don't think I'd be overly opposed to it. Can't say for sure though.
I don't agree with regular smacks for general misbehaving though. You see some mothers hit their child for just being a child rather than telling them to calm down. I'd rather my child respected me enough to stop when I tell them to rather than when I give them a smack.

Also, not smacking your child does not automatically equate to a nicey nice approach where you let the child run riot. Some people are able to raise kids properly with no violence and still have the child respect them.

biko

"Don't make me put the beer down and come over there!"

BoardsMember

Some kids that have no respect for authority at all need a paddling sometimes, but that's more to do with how they have been brought up to date. I dont slap my kids.

Boombastic

Captain Chaos wrote: »

All the kids I see being brought up today with no smacking mostly are cheeky as fuk and run a muck constantly and don't think twice about. The parents are just like "stop that now jonny", it falls on deaf ears. If I acted like that when younger I'd be battered, so I didn't carry on like that.

Ah, sure they all have ADHD

stimpson

Captain Chaos wrote: »

All the wives I see today with no smacking mostly are cheeky as fuk and run a muck constantly and don't think twice about. The husbands are just like "stop that now mary", it falls on deaf ears. If my wife acted like that she'd be battered, so she doesn't carry on like that.

See what I did there?

Kintarō Hattori

It really does depend on the situation and the severity of what was done but a little tap does no harm once it's enforced why.

As a child of the 80s I was occasionally smacked. I haven't grown up to be a psychopath, I haven't killed or assaulted anyone, I'm not a delinquent, I'm not socially awkward. I have a healthy outlook on life, a respect for those around me and towards life in general. I work hard and would generally be thought well of.

I was raised in a loving family, thought to respect people and property. I was taught right from wrong and occasionally when I stepped out of line and didn't listen to what was being told to me, I was smacked....... and deservedly so.

Everything has it's place and this line of horror at being smacked is quite ridiculous. If a child is completely out of line, doesn't respond to measured discipline, doesn't heed the authority being directed at it, then perhaps, just perhaps, a smack is what it needs to really make it aware that you can't carry on whatever way you please.

gobnaitolunacy

major bill wrote: »

the majority of people on this forum i say got slapped as a child and are mostly doing all right in life.

Poll for this? Would have interesting results...

CardBordWindow

Smack once for yes,
Smack twice for no.

Peregrine

Beautiful AH

So why stop with children? Everytime anyone does something stupid, should we have the authority to smack them too?

jank

Smacking yes, physical abuse no. People are too soft today then wonder why the kids are running wild.

MoonDancer

I always said I wasn't going to slap my kids. My oldest is 10, and he has become very challenging lately, the latest incident he shouted in my face and called me a "stupid b*tch" when I wouldn't let him have his own way.
He got a good slap on the bare leg for that.

Meangadh

The only smacking I ever would have gotten as a kid was maybe a small slap on the hand if I went to take something or put my hand somewhere dangerous (like a cooker or something), and maybe even a slap on the arse but I honestly don't even really remember.

I'd like to think I'd never smack a child but if I even only ever did what I described above like my parents did I really don't think it'd do any emotional damage to the child. They may have given me the very odd smack (it wouldn't even have hurt!) but my parents are legends- drive me mad sometimes, but overall they're brilliant. I certainly wouldn't be judging their skills as parents on how they disciplined me as a youngster.

Darkglasses

Was never smacked as a child, and I turned out fine too.

sunflower27

There's a big difference between a smack and a belting. Personally I find the 'I would never ever smack my child' brigade bl**dy annoying as fcuk. They seem to have these airs and graces that they are somehow 'better' parents. And their kids are usually the ones behaving like total brats.

You only have to look at the way kids run riot today to see how much things have changed. I am not saying kids should be beat - I am obviously totally against that, but saying a smack is abuse and will have damaging effects down the line.... give me a break. Did myself and my friends no harm.

simply simple

One thing I strongly believe is the more you USE it the more you will NEED it in future.
hard to resist, but worth it, it takes time for kids to believe that no matter what they do they wont be hurt but explained about what was wrong and why was it wrong, Helps them use their rational thinking and in future decides themselves to behave good rather than getting someone beat them up for doing it.
I got few slaps on my face (not very very hard) when I was small but am still angry for it somewhere inside.

DesperateDan

Everyone in favour of it says "it did me no harm", well guess what a more effective manner of doing no harm to children is? NOT beating them for misbehaving. I can gladly say I was never hit as a child and you know what, it did me no harm....

humbert

If the child responds to logic and reason use logic and reason, if it doesn't wallop the little bastard.