Smacking kids 'should be banned', says children's tsar

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.itv.com/news/story/2013-12-28/smacking-kids-should-be-banned-says-childrens-tsar-maggie-atkinson/

Smacking kids 'should be banned', says children's tsar


Parents should be banned from smacking children, according to the Children's Commissioner for England. Maggie Atkinson told The Independent it was her view that the law gives pets and adults more rights to be protected from violence than children.

That's strange, I don't recall having written on my birth certificate my mothers name, my fathers name and Maggie Atkinson - do you? Here's another unaccountable nobody, part of an establishment that's got everything wrong in the post-war period, wanting to tell parents how to bring up their own children as though they were the property of the state.

Of course nobody disagrees with laws there to protect children, but this is just as ridiculous as some of the Human Rights Laws we now hear about. Is it any wonder for example how disipline in schools has completely broken down in past decades? I myself know that if I had had the threat of the cane over me when acting stupid in schools (as I sometimes did) then I would have thought twice about it. Of course physical punishment works as a deterrent, that's exactly why people fight, it's why we go to war and it's why parents smack their children.

If anybody deserves a slap it's Maggie Atkinson for her stupidity and interference.

Thoughts?

[TheShawnChg]

Like you said, a little physical punishment will definitely make the person think twice. Of course, physical punishment should only be used on the right occasion and in a controlled manner. If punishments were only in the form of words, it wouldn't leave a serious reminder to a person rather than a physical punishment. As they always say, actions speak louder than words. This is just my humble opinion about this and i'm also not saying that mental punishment won't work. Everything depends. Cheers.

[Empired]

Of course, physical punishment should only be used on the right occasion and in a controlled manner.
This.

I guess the whole thing is kinda difficult because there must be a rather fine line between physical punishment and physical abuse. It must be so easy to go too far. Plus it must be hard for law to say "yes you can hit your children but only as a punishment" because then those cases where a toddler has been beaten within and inch of its life (or whatever) would be so much harder to sort out.

Plus I'm not so sure about physical punishment at school. In a way I'm sure it would be safer because there would be so many rules as to what teachers/headteachers/whatever could and couldn't do, but I don't know if I'd be comfortable with another adult hitting my child :S Especially as some schools have such ridiculous rules these days. Like that boy who got suspended or permanently excluded or something for having a haircut like his favourite footballer.. Is that really worth getting beaten over?

I suppose I'm trying to say that I'm not against physical punishment itself, it's just where to draw the line.

[Matt]

My dad used to smack me and my brother when we were kids but he stopped when mum threatened him with a divorce if he carried on. But I think its a good punishment if your kid doesn't listen to anything else, like as a last resort I guess. Hitting kids for stupid reasons, like doing something you disagree with, is wrong and should only be done if the kid is really disobedient and is actually a devil irl.

[Aiden]

Are you sure? If say teachers were allowed to hit children now I think they would react! I don't think parents should be allowed to hit their children and that womans not done anything wrong? She's only trying to protect children. It's not like she's asking for people to not shout... she's asking for people to respect each other.

The other month I seen a woman smacking her kid on the other side of the road and that really annoyed me. You'll probably say its not my place to be annoyed but idc. Is it right for me to punch you if you annoy me? Or maybe for a boss to hit his worker for being late?

:S

[Jurv]

children don't need to be hit anyway

there are surely different and more effective ways of punishing a child

[Yawn]

smacking is pretty old fashioned and unnecessary imo

[Kardan]

I don't agree with smacking, but I can imagine trying to 'ban' it would be difficult and probably very unsuccessful.

[karter]

no one should be allowed to hit anyone? and especially children shouldn't be and if you say hitting children to discipline them is okay then good luck to you bc you have a primitive thinking goodbye

[-Moniquee.]

I'm borderline on whether it is alright to smack children.
I think it works wonders as a disciplinary action. I know when I was a kid my mum used to smack me and it would put me right back into line.
I don't think it should be the first point of discipline, taking loved items of the child works (toys, phone etc) if that doesn't work then resort to smacking.
Banning it wouldn't do much, at the end of the day people are still going to do it.

[-:Undertaker:-]

no one should be allowed to hit anyone? and especially children shouldn't be and if you say hitting children to discipline them is okay then good luck to you bc you have a primitive thinking goodbye

It's all very nice saying that everybody should dance around rainbows, live in peace and talk very nicely to children about their actions (which all of your posts appear to be)... but when you eventually have kids and are faced with them purposely winding you up in a supermarket or at home after a long day at work - often the only thing that will teach them a lesson and stop them is a good crack and throw them upstairs. Why? because getting smacked on your arse, legs or even a crack over the head bloody well hurts and next tiem you are naughty you'll think twice about whether to do it.

Of course that doesn't fit into New Age thinking because it's common sense rather than garbage spouted by a sociologist.


Are you sure? If say teachers were allowed to hit children now I think they would react!

Well does that not just prove my point how far we've fallen as a society where CHILDREN now have the whip hand over parents and teachers? All the more reason for bringing back effective punishment into schools.

And I wasn't a goody two shoes - I would have had it [the cane] a few times, and would have deserved it 100%.

[GommeInc]

Depends how you define "smack". As far as I am aware a hard slap is already banned as it is technically a battery. A tap with four fingers (a type of smack) causes no damage and reminds the child they are being watched, and shouldn't be banned as it doesn't cause any harm and is as bad as a shout to stop the action they are currently undertaking i.e. picking a nose. "Get your finger out of there" *forceless but noticeable tap on arm* If a smack creates a redness on the skin, then it is bad. If it does nothing such as no redness to the skin where the impact was, and causes no pain or suffering, it shouldn't be banned. Saying "smack" is too wide a definition and use.

[Ardemax]

Smacking should be allowed as long as it doesn't bruise or cause long-term damage which I think is the law currently.

[James]

I think by the parent in a controlled environment it is allowed. - like a little smack on the bum for being naughty. Obviously beating a kid is obviously wrong on so many levels. But if it was just to prove a small point to a child that they have done something bad, then yeah it should be fine imo.

However I wouldnt want anyone else laying a hand in my child. So I think it should (and i believe is??) only acceptable by the parent, providing it's controlled and not a beating.

[lucaskf390]

Of course children must be spanked (with controlled force), it's more efficient and better to a children be educated soon, than become adult and suffer more to change their habits, life is cruel and those who didn't recieve education will suffer.

It all depends on the children, some children are problematic (that disciplinary actions doesnt work) and others that are easier to educate, I don't thing a global rule would attend all differences between each people.

[karter]

It's all very nice saying that everybody should dance around rainbows, live in peace and talk very nicely to children about their actions (which all of your posts appear to be)... but when you eventually have kids and are faced with them purposely winding you up in a supermarket or at home after a long day at work - often the only thing that will teach them a lesson and stop them is a good crack and throw them upstairs. Why? because getting smacked on your arse, legs or even a crack over the head bloody well hurts and next tiem you are naughty you'll think twice about whether to do it.

Of course that doesn't fit into New Age thinking because it's common sense rather than garbage spouted by a sociologist.



You ruled out the part where there's actual verbal communication between children and parents which pretty much has the same effect on children as 'smacking' would ? Well you know what, a long day at work is actually a nice excuse to ease out your frustration on children when they misbehave. Silly me and my sociology garbage

[-:Undertaker:-]

You ruled out the part where there's actual verbal communication between children and parents which pretty much has the same effect on children as 'smacking' would ? Well you know what, a long day at work is actually a nice excuse to ease out your frustration on children when they misbehave. Silly me and my sociology garbage

How can threats by parents have an affect on naughty children when those threats/language are not backed up with anything? That would be like a general in a war threatening the enemy at the gates, so the enemy calls his bluff (as children often do) and it turns out the general hasn't got any army so can't back up his threat. Children are very clever and cunning and they do exactly the same with the teachers.

Jesus christ with naff thinking like yours it's no wonder you see so many feral, out of control children about.

[karter]

How can threats by parents have an affect on naughty children when those threats/language are not backed up with anything? That would be like a general in a war threatening the enemy at the gates, so the enemy calls his bluff (as children often do) and it turns out the general hasn't got any army so can't back up his threat. Children are very clever and cunning and they do exactly the same with the teachers.

Jesus christ with naff thinking like yours it's no wonder you see so many feral, out of control children about.

You still can be strict towards children without physically hurting them gosh you need to lighten up and stop with the notion that alll children are annoying little pests

there's no logical proof of efficiency of physical means while disciplining children while it has its fair share of side effects

there's a reason most child psychologists don't prefer the smacking method? :S

[-:Undertaker:-]

You still can be strict towards children without physically hurting them gosh you need to lighten up and stop with the notion that alll children are annoying little pests

there's no logical proof of efficiency of physical means while disciplining children while it has its fair share of side effects

I was a good kid but sometimes I crossed the line and got a smack for it. I deserved it 100%. You know, with all the problems this country is facing it's utterly a joke that the government and now the NSPCC (who I will NEVER give any money to as a result of this - ever) is now considering making criminals out of normal parents by making smacking illegal. Screw them.

Sometimes kids need a good smack to behave and that's just how it is. If you don't like it then don't smack your kids and have the chance of them running wildly out of control as so many kids so these days, meanwhile normal decent people will use it as a method of punishment to keep their kids on the straight and narrow. All of my friends were smacked and we were all well grounded kids - it's always the kids who weren't smacked and didn't have any control at home who were the naughty little *******s who played up for the teachers aswell.

It was proved in the way I acted sometimes infront of my teachers (who couldn't touch me) whereas I wouldn't have DARED acted in that way infront of my parents as I knew i'd get the hiding of my life if I had. That's exactly why I support bringing back the cane to schools aswell.


there's a reason most child psychologists don't prefer the smacking method? :S

Then let them raise their kids up and try and control them with how they see fit and butt out with everybody else.