To smack or not to smack...
January 28th 2010 10:04
Today's topic is very likely to get a few readers hot under the collar. I myself only learnt a few weeks ago that it is now against the law to smack your own child. Blimey!!! You mean, I can't even punish them for misbehaving? They say this is due to statistics showing that children are traumatised by being smacked and actually don't respond to this type of punishment.
I was smacked as a child. And it certainly did traumatise me! It traumatised me so much, I never went down to the lagoon on my own anymore, even when I turned four. I certainly never ran away from mum and hid from her in the shops again. To this day, I still don't talk back and swear at my parents (or anyone else for that matter!)
So, statistically, I suppose they are correct. Smacking certainly made an impression on me. Will I ever smack my little boy on the bum? Absoloutely.
I grow more and more irritated with the government and other parties constantly telling us what we can and can't do. They're going as far as telling us how we punish our own children. I don't believe it encourages violence in the home. The poor, frazzled mother you see at Coles giving her brat a whack on it's bum isn't the mother abusing her children at home. That brat will not grow up to become a thug simply because he was put back in line.
They also say that instead of smacking, you should tell them firmly and sharply 'NO' and this will have the same effect. Ha! You've got to be kidding me! When I tell my 10-month-old 'NO' he grins at me and keeps doing it. He thinks it's a game. He thinks I'm funny. (For the record, I don't smack him, he's too young.)
Now, I also believe there are different levels of punishment. When I was a child, I was smacked many times. I absoloutely deserved them. I was usually taken to my room and smacked by dad with his hand or a wooden spoon. I knew it was coming and this was worse than the actual punishment. I was never smacked with a belt, or stick, or jug cord. Just an open palm.
I also dont' agree with smacking every time your child misbehaves. There are other ways to skin a cat, so to speak! Smacking should be reserved for when your little one is really naughty, otherwise it will just become the norm'.
So what's your proof, I hear you ask? Prove that smacking works. Easy.
Look at how children acted 50 years ago, when smacking was allowed in the home and at school. Children were still naughty. They still got into trouble and did bad things. But compare them to children these days. Where are the manners? Kids have no respect for adults anymore and this is reflected in their adolescence. Parents have lost control.
I'm sure many of you are getting your typing fingers ready to tell me exactly what you think of my theory, but the bottom line is,(if you'll ignore the pun) smacking works. I'd rather smack my son than let him pull a saucepan of boiling water onto himself and I don't care how much the government smacks my wallet.
I was smacked as a child. And it certainly did traumatise me! It traumatised me so much, I never went down to the lagoon on my own anymore, even when I turned four. I certainly never ran away from mum and hid from her in the shops again. To this day, I still don't talk back and swear at my parents (or anyone else for that matter!)
So, statistically, I suppose they are correct. Smacking certainly made an impression on me. Will I ever smack my little boy on the bum? Absoloutely.
I grow more and more irritated with the government and other parties constantly telling us what we can and can't do. They're going as far as telling us how we punish our own children. I don't believe it encourages violence in the home. The poor, frazzled mother you see at Coles giving her brat a whack on it's bum isn't the mother abusing her children at home. That brat will not grow up to become a thug simply because he was put back in line.
They also say that instead of smacking, you should tell them firmly and sharply 'NO' and this will have the same effect. Ha! You've got to be kidding me! When I tell my 10-month-old 'NO' he grins at me and keeps doing it. He thinks it's a game. He thinks I'm funny. (For the record, I don't smack him, he's too young.)
Now, I also believe there are different levels of punishment. When I was a child, I was smacked many times. I absoloutely deserved them. I was usually taken to my room and smacked by dad with his hand or a wooden spoon. I knew it was coming and this was worse than the actual punishment. I was never smacked with a belt, or stick, or jug cord. Just an open palm.
I also dont' agree with smacking every time your child misbehaves. There are other ways to skin a cat, so to speak! Smacking should be reserved for when your little one is really naughty, otherwise it will just become the norm'.
So what's your proof, I hear you ask? Prove that smacking works. Easy.
Look at how children acted 50 years ago, when smacking was allowed in the home and at school. Children were still naughty. They still got into trouble and did bad things. But compare them to children these days. Where are the manners? Kids have no respect for adults anymore and this is reflected in their adolescence. Parents have lost control.
Bet his parents wished they'd smacked him more often!
I'm sure many of you are getting your typing fingers ready to tell me exactly what you think of my theory, but the bottom line is,(if you'll ignore the pun) smacking works. I'd rather smack my son than let him pull a saucepan of boiling water onto himself and I don't care how much the government smacks my wallet.
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Comment by tropix
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