Call for total smacking ban.

Maggie Atkinson, the current Children's Commissioner for England is calling for a total ban on smacking children.

She says that Pets and Adults have more legal protection than children, whose parents or guardians should be banned from smacking them completely.

I rarely ever gave my children anything other than a mild slap and the same goes for my wife as we found that denying privileges gave far better results as they got older.

My first wife was the opposite and often smacked or even punched our daughter when she was a toddler, causing me no end of worry as I often worked long hours or away from home.

The granddaughters are generally well-behaved and never really had any more than slaps either as the humiliation is often sufficient.

Our only grandson has Aspergers Syndrome and ADHD so his behaviour can change in an instant but he obviously has difficulties controlling his behaviour so different approaches are the only way.

How do you feel about this proposal?

Is it going too far?

More 'Nanny State' interference?

stevmk2

Re: Call for total smacking ban.

I find this a difficult question I was smacked as a child it did me no harm, we didn't smack and my niece doesn't either.

I found talking mine into submission worked rather well, didn't need to smack them.
Can't smack little Gracie or we could set off a bleed which could be very bad news for her so not even an option if we wanted to.

But I do see some children and wonder, the parents have no control and would a smack help ?

Not sure whether I mean for the parents or the child though because some parents look like they need a wallop at times.

Re: Call for total smacking ban.

I thought there was a ban already on smacking a child ......

Re: Call for total smacking ban.

Yes smacking of children should be banned. I was smacked and it did me no good at all, instead it made me angry and rebellious.

My Father never lifted a hand to any of his four children, he never needed to, he ruled us with love and respect.

I never needed to smack my son or my three baby grandchildren.
Smacking children teaches them that violence towards others is acceptable and for me it is not.

Re: Call for total smacking ban.

Thats right Meg - all down to the art of communication

Re: Call for total smacking ban.

My mother never believed in smacking children, she said for every devil you knocked out you knocked 10 in, so we were never smacked, often threatened with a smack but never got one. However I do think there is a huge difference between giving a naughty child a light smack on the legs or bottom and hitting a child, that is a big NO NO. In the case of my own son it was more or less a case 'you don't need to tell me, I'm going to my room'. I doubt sending a child to his/her room would work any more, present day kids seem to have TVs, computers, etc etc in their rooms, so no punishment there. Communication is good, but it simply doesn't work with all children because all children are so different and not all adults are skilled at communication either. Then of course there is a huge difference between toddlers, very young children and stroppy, troublesome teenagers.
So, I can't say that I have rigid views on this matter, all I can say is good luck to those who have.

Re: Call for total smacking ban.

Sorry Meg but could you explain that a little better please?

It seems contradictory - your Father never lifted a hand to any of his four children you but you were smacked and it made you angry & rebellious?

Sorry - perhaps it's just me? stevmk2

Re: Call for total smacking ban.

No problem Steve my mother died when I was a baby. I spent some years with a great Aunt who never smacked me while my father looked after the other 3 children who were at school.
I returned home at the age of 4, Dad never raised a hand to any of us. He also worked full time and with our help kept the house and his children immaculate.
When I was 8 Dad married again to a woman who made our lives a misery and beat us.

I went from being a happy child in spite of not having a mother to a sad and bitter child as did my siblings.

Re: Call for total smacking ban.

Loretta I have always found the key is to set a punishment and follow through. So many parents seem inconsistent and make empty threats.

When my husband died I bought up our small son alone. He was never any trouble, I explained things to him including the consequences of any bad behaviour.

Last week my grandaughter who will be 4 in two months decided to have a tantrum before going shopping with her mother. The consequence was she was left at home and very sorry she was too. A valuable lesson was learned.

Re: Call for total smacking ban.

Banning it is not the answer in my opinion, it's just a another stupid law to confuse people even more, the more laws you make the more criminals you make and it would be too complicated to enforce, when is a slap a slap and not a tap, when is a clip a clip and not a clout etc. I've seen both sides of it in my time, when I did something wrong as a kid I got a good hiding, so did my brothers and sister, no favouritism whatsoever, that's the way it was then even in the state run schools, it never did any harm to any of us, we still loved our parents. My own two kids were never smacked or hit in any way and they turned out great, so as I see it it's up to the parents and not the government, and most parents know how to raise their kids without interference from the state, I found if you spend more time with your children and explain right and wrong to them they cop on fast, leave things as they are, there are laws in place to protect children from weirdos who enjoy beating kids and it's up to the social workers to enforce them.
This smacks to me as just some politician trying to make a mark in the history books for themselves. And yes, nannying again without a doubt.