http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25529744
Childrens tzar thinks it should be banned but doesnt have the stones to try and do it. I havent hit my kid and dont want to (hes only three though so not that naughty) but a few smacks didnt seem to harm me. Dont know what to make of it really. What do you lot think?
PS try to respect the views of others please.

My boy is 5 and I’ve not smacked him, well apart from a tap on the back of his hand when naughty to show him the potential consequences. I do though threaten him with smacked legs. We are very fortunate that he’s a very well behaved boy and never thrown a tantrum in the same way is see other youngsters do.

All of that said, if the need arises for a slap, he’ll get it without question.

Short of the never did me any harm comments, I can’t see a problem with having an option. Stop abuse but don’t interfere with normal life.

before smacking your kids,take a minute to try and remember how it made you feel to be smacked as a child. there’s more effective ways to discipline a child (and yourself)

It’s not smacking, it’s hitting.

My feeling is that for general disobedience it’s probably not necessary, but if it’s disobedience that resulted in a potentially dangerous situation e.g. running off and towards a road, then the shock of a hand across legs/backside would probably be a strong deterrent. Obviously it’ll be less of a deterrent if it’s used all the time as it loses its shock value.

It’s not smacking, it’s hitting.

No, it’s smacking. Hitting is quite different, usually with intent to cause harm.

It’s not smacking, it’s hitting.

Good point.

Half a gram Is ok now and then if they won’t go to sleep, shirley?

No, it’s hitting. If you need to justify what you do by calling it ‘smacking’ fine, I guess you’re allowed to. But don’t kid yourself. It’s hitting. If you did that to anyone else you wouldn’t get away with it.

Has been illegal for years in Scotland. Remember a case where a tourist hit their kid in a shop and got arrested when I lived there.

No, it’s hitting. If you need to justify what you do by calling it ‘smacking’ fine, I guess you’re allowed to. But don’t kid yourself. It’s hitting. If you did that to anyone else you wouldn’t get away with it.

No, it isn’t. If you can’t tell the difference between a very rare smack to the back of the legs that causes no physical harm, to an uppercut to your face, then I think you might have a problem.

You’re entitled to say that you disagree with smacking as a form of parental discipline, but you can’t redefine the term for your own convenience.

I’ve never resorted to smacking/hitting my kids (12 and 16 now) and TBH can count the number of times I’ve raised my voice to them on the fingers of one hand. YOU’RE the adult, they’re just doing what’s in their job description.

Smacking children is a reflection on the of the adults rather than the kids behaviour IMO.

What is the technical difference between a hit, a slap and a smack?

Personally, I’ve always considered it far too extreme and cowardly a punishment, but I have 2 reasonably we’ll behaved 5 year old girls, not some total tear away of a boy…

Really? Didnt know that. Has it had any positive effects? Have many been prosecuted for a simple slap or is it just window dressing?

gwaelod – it is NOT illegal in Scotland. Certain types of physical punishment/chastisement are. These include shaking and using any form of implement.

I have to say that I’m in the “never did me any harm” camp but then I can tell the difference between smacking and physical abuse.

zokes – Member
No, it’s hitting. If you need to justify what you do by calling it ‘smacking’ fine, I guess you’re allowed to. But don’t kid yourself. It’s hitting. If you did that to anyone else you wouldn’t get away with it.
No, it isn’t. If you can’t tell the difference between a very rare smack to the back of the legs that causes no physical harm, to an uppercut to your face, then I think you might have a problem.
You’re entitled to say that you disagree with smacking as a form of parental discipline, but you can’t redefine the term for your own convenience.

Call it what you like, it’s using violence to control another.

I was smacked when I was a nipper but it was a different time back then so using that as an argument doesn’t really wash. We’re more enlightened now, hitting/smacking/beating/the slipper/etc doesn’t really have a place in today’s society.

If you can’t apply discipline without resorting to violence then I politely suggest reviewing your parenting technique.

And yes; I’m a dad and never had to raise my hand/fist/belt to get my lad to get him to behave.

If you can’t control you children without smacking, then you are a p**s poor parent.

Presumably making it illegal doesn’t actually stop it, it just stops it happening it in public places.
On the grand scale of things I’m not concerned. The occasional smack, and I do mean occasional e.g. less than once a year does no harm. Systemic hitting / smacking of children is already covered by existing child abuse laws. There’s a grey area between these to extremes which consists of continuum of parents failing to cope with their children to a lesser or greater degree. Making smacking illegal won’t make them better able to cope with what ever parenting issues they have.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make it illegal, but it’s need to be acknowledged that this in itself probably won’t make much difference to child abuse levels.

Would you ‘smack’ a child if they could ‘smack’ you back?

Call it what you like, it’s using violence to control another.

Indeed. Just like our police force do.

There are better ways to get the point across to children.

I don’t see a need for it and have never smacked my kids. If I need to smack my kids I’ve failed and been out smarted.

What happens when your child gets older or the smacking no longer hurts and the “didn’t hurt” comments come out? Do you smack harder and harder until they crack, do you re think then or do you cross the line? Better not to travel that road from the outset…

Each to their own and all that but isn’t it time to move with the times and use your head. If you do and are successful, why would you need to hit someone so much smaller than you.

scotroutes – Member
I have to say that I’m in the “never did me any harm” camp but then I can tell the difference between smacking and physical abuse.

Quite, pretty simple really.

What will the tsar be thinking next – stopping teachers hurling board dusters?

Presumably smacking or hitting is used as a last resort when reasoning with a willfull 5 year old who really hasn’t got the life experience to understand the consequences of their actions has failed?

Or are children just mini adults i.e. a smaller version of ‘me’ and have the same motivations, reasoning, outlook etc…?

Can only really see this going one way; usual STW polar opposite views, much bitter argument, high horses and ultimately closed. Reasonable troll BTW.

IanMunro – Member

Indeed. Just like our police force do.

Well, that’s me converted, back in 5, I’m just going to thrash the lad for waking me up too early… He’s got to learn somehow…

I’ve not got kids and have no plans to have any so I suppose I’m not in anyway qualified to comment on this other than I got smacked as a kid and I turned out okay.

However, I’ve two mates with kids that spring to mind. Both from very similar backgrounds, areas and incomes.

One has a little girl about 5 who has been smacked two or three times. She’s lovely.

The other has a boy 12 and a girl 10. The parents strongly support the idea that smacking is wrong. Those too are so badly behaved, I avoid going around his house. In my opinion both of those kids would benefit from a smack.

Captian slow said it better than me.

By the time smacking/hitting/call it what you want to make yourself feel better, becomes an option* you’ve failed the parent test.

* it isn’t one.

@nickc. Yeah sure, as that’s the only measure of good parenting…

Next time you are in a fight with a grown man, try slapping his wrist or giving a quick smack on the back of the leg. That’ll surely stop him in his tracks as it’s exactly the same as “hitting”, right?

glad you’re not my parent/s, Boblo

scotroutes – Member
Next time you are in a fight with a grown man, try slapping his wrist or giving a quick smack on the back of the leg. That’ll surely stop him in his tracks as it’s exactly the same as “hitting”, right?

By that logic, next time you’re kid is acting up; head butt the little scrote!!

Seriously, how often do you get into fights??? I’ve not had one for about 25 years.

Well can someone tell me if im a good parent or bad parent I have four children and resorted to smacking one of them on a few occasions because of his behaviour.

Or am I 75% good?

Love the truly abstract ‘you are bad at something’ comments without knowing the whole story. The son I smacked is now 20 and acknowledges his behaviour was extreme compared to his siblings and doesn’t feel he was treated badly.

Like everything in life there is a time and a place. I was not smacked alot as a child, but when i look back on those times now i really did deserve it ( drinking, smoking, being a little prick). I am a father of 2 and would not hesitate if the situation arrises to give my kids a tap as a last resort. Does this make me a piss poor parent as people are suggesting? Or is it just a difference of oppinion? Each parent has their own methods of correcting their children. Is a child thats had a few smacks growing up destined to be a mindless thug as an adult, I think not. I understand that this thread will generate alot of debate and appologise for fueling the fire but some peoples closed minded views are quite annoying

By that logic, next time you’re kid is acting up; head butt the little scrote!!

ah but I can tell the difference whereas many posters on this thread obviously can’t. 🙂

By that logic, next time you’re kid is acting up; head butt the little scrote!!

I think you’ve kind of highlighted the point that scotroutes made, ie that he can tell the difference between a smack and physical abuse.

Male cow excrement!

I was smacked as a child, and Stockholm syndrome aside, my parent’s were for the most part excellent, and apart from the shooting cats with crossbows, mugging old ladies and pulling wings off flies, I’m a useful contributor to society, and a reasonably well rounded individual.

My parents smacked me, as a tool to focus my attention. It wasn’t a beating, nor was it violence as someone else stated. It was a single open handed strike or two on my backside, and it was done at a time when I did not have the cognitive reasoning to process that what I was doing was wholly unreasonable, or downright dangerous. Occasionally it was just because I was being a little shit. I was never bruised, and I never felt unloved or abused.

I think a lot of times it was done out of panic e.g. when I’d run out onto the main road, or tried to pull a boiling kettle over myself and I don’t personally think that either of my parents actively chose to smack me, it was always more of an automatic, instinctive response.

To criticise parents for that sort of behaviour is just wrong.

I am just waiting for them to put a foot wrong. Can’t wait. 😈

Anti here, no need at all IMO.

To criticise parents for that sort of behaviour is just wrong.

Aye, give ’em a slap, that’ll learn ’em.

I think a lot of times it was done out of panic e.g. when I’d run out onto the main road, or tried to pull a boiling kettle over myself and I don’t personally think that either of my parents actively chose to smack me, it was always more of an automatic, instinctive response.

I can completely understand that – problem is, that blows a big hole in the idea that smacking is a calm, considered method to make a point to a child.

gwaelod – Member
Has been illegal for years in Scotland.

POSTED 49 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST
That’s not true. see this link. the section with the bold stating “has smacking been banned alltogether?”

It becomes illegal to hit your child when they reach 16. As they would be classed as an an adult at his time.

However, hitting a child hardly promotes a great model for your children, doe it?