There is a major differance between a smack and hitting or punching.
I was not against smacking my kids but decided that it would only be used in really dire situations and not just because I was angry or frustrated. My kids are grown and they all tell me that they can never remember me smacking them and neither can I but im sure that I must have at some point…..or perhaps I just never did…I really cant remember. I used to talk to my kids about things and I was always careful about the words I used. Always saying that what they had done was naughty rather then that they were naughty. I always would say “you are a good kid…I know you are a good kid so why did you do a naughty thing?”

What next? A ban on yelling at your kids? You need to be able to discipline your children effectively. I don’t like smacking and I only rarely do it – it’s only if the kids have been super super duper in the wrong or doing something dangerous (like hiding in the neighbour’s yard and not coming when I was calling and frantically looking up and down the street for 20 mins).

I think a child will be more damaged by their parent being arrested and charged then a smack on the hand by way of punishment.

I don’t think it’s a great idea but maybe they have taken things too far.

There are more children who get into trouble now because they aren’t made responsible for their actions. When I was young, knowing I would get a spanking if I misbehaved was enough to deter me. I brought my sons up the same way. They are now very well behaved young men.

I agree with the current Australian legislation and agree with the term unreasonable. You know when it’s unreasonable, and you know when a smack is a reaction to stop an unsafe situation such as when a child goes to touch something hot and you have to smack the hand away. Abuse is different. Everyone has their own opinions on this matter and we all parent our kids differently. Violence is not acceptable in the context of assault and harm. A small smack is not harmful to a child an unreasonable one is…

Wow, how do you police or enforce this? And imagine the inconsistency of it all. I don’t think it’s something that should be outlawed, but education is absolutely key in encouraging people not to smack or tap their children. It’s all good to be outraged until you find yourself in a situation where you might accidentally smack your child, what once… and then be arrested!

Crazy, it’s like you are some serious criminal if you smack your children. I admit, I do it, but only very rarely.

And we wonder why kids don’t respect teachers, there’s more crime and parents can’t seem to control their kids in public. Total crap – I don’t even hurt mine when I smack- only their pride, but it’s enough that they respect me and follow my rules.

We are seeing the consequences of the namby pamby approach to discipline now with out of control teenagers and younger who have absolutely no respect for anyone. Who will be responsible for telling them this behavior is not acceptable. Neither parents nor teachers can give the necessary punishment and they know it. Our children all got smacked and have turned out to be amazing individuals with respect for others and authority.

Every nation that has enforced this ‘No smacking’ ban with perils for the parents are now wearing children who have no respect for any authority whatsoever. Don’t know what the final outcome will be, but it is disturbing that parents have to lock themselves away from their unruly children or otherwise get hurt physically.

Interesting read

Good, kids deserve the same protection as adults on physical punishment.

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  • • mom93821 replied
    • 13 May 2019 , 6:16 am

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  Absolutely agree with your comment – violence is never ever ok and everyone deserves to be free from any form of violence.

Don’t see how on earth they are going to enforce it.

No smacking – there is no need for it when words can be used to guide and to discipline.
It does not teach respect – it only teaches fear.

interesting read

I dont agree with smacking and will raise mine without it. It just teaches them that its ok to do to others when they’re mad or upset and that’s not what they need to be taught

there is a big difference between a smack and abuse. The way the kids are now is ridiculous, very disrespectful and no regard for the law, this is the generation being raised by the generation of non smackers

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  • • mom94898 replied
    • 13 May 2019 , 10:21 pm

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  Totally agree with you

I agree that there’s the odd occasion when a smack seems a better option – mostly when they might hurt themselves and they’re too young to reason with – but this should be SO rare.

And what happens when a parent “smacks” the child in the process of preventing them injuring themselves e.g. attempting to touch something hot. A guy I know when he was a toddler managed to reach something hot and burnt himself. He was taken straight under a cold shower and his clothes taken off except those that stuck to his skin. His Mum went under the shower fully dressed including shoes. They wrapped him in a clean cotton sheet and rushed him to hospital a couple of streets away. They got there when the ambulance would have been leaving to come to their place. Hospital staff treated him then transferred him to the State Childrens Hospital and was taken to the Burns Unit. His Mother was interrogated for a few hours. They could see she had been under the shower with him as she was still in soaking wet clothes 2 1/2 hours later. She had a break and then another child abuse staff member interrogated her too..