Would you ban smacking? Take our two-question-takes-less-than-10-seconds poll (and be entered into this week's comp)

I was slapped as a child, bloody hard, it left marks - a complete ban would have made no difference, they completely denied they did it full stop.

I am against banning smacking. I know very few parents of school aged children who have never ever raised a hand to their child. They are all good parents. Pouring guilt onto guilt, ineffective social worker onto ineffective parenting technique, will solve nothing.

There needs to be compulsory parenting classes with creche for EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY REGARDLESS OF INCOME. And that means the rich have to go too!

and it would also get more women to go to their docs for help with PND I suspect

An the point is people who beat, not occasionally smack their kids, are not reasonable people.

"If a law bans something and the police do not try and find all offenders because they don't have the resources, or the investigation is impossible, then the law is a bad law."

Does the law against rape come into that catagory then? If it's reallt all about resourses. Or to a lesser degree of serioulsness, 'e' being a class a drug.

Surely legislation is there to send a message - to people who don;t get governmental PR campaigns?

Drink driving is enforced in that if the police find someone doing it they are arrested. They do not ask about mitigating circumstances before hauling you off to the station.

Do we really want the police to arrest everyone they find smacking, even if that is a light smack by a scared parent after a child has done something dangerous?

PS - I don't think drinking on the tube is acutally illegal, Boris banned it overnight when he came into power. Was there ever legislation? Legislation takes months to pass.

No to ban, for same reasons as Artichoke.

Note to Seeker about the behaviour of children whose parents use smacking - chicken or egg?. I have one child who I have never needed to smack. Two others I have smacked, when removing, talking etc have not worked and they still insist in using the washing machine to climb onto the kitchen counter and try to touch the hot kettle.

It is not a nie thing, I don't like it and I have never done it because I have lost my temper. Hwr, it is something I will use if the need arises, and it has in the past been the only thing that has worked.

It is a tough one, but I think the law is the best we can do.

A total ban on smacking is impossible to police. It is self evident and anyone can see that. This alone makes it futile to ban in law. How do you police smacking in the home?

That's a good point artichokes but there are plenty of laws that aren't really enforced. Drink driving? Talking on your mobile while driving? Drinking on the tube?

If the ability to prosecute was necessary to implement a new law, there wouldn't be half the laws that have been introduced in the last few years

The police do not enforce laws in a black and white way already. There will be no parents prosecuted for the odd smack unless there is something else going on.

The thing is that legislation is not the tool to "send a message" to people that something is wrong. That is what Government information campaigns are for (and maybe this would be a good idea for one of those).

Legislation is for outlawing things. And is something is outlawed the police have a duty to investigate and arrest offenders. If a law bans something and the police do not try and find all offenders because they don't have the resources, or the investigation is impossible, then the law is a bad law.

For those who suppport an outright ban how would you like police to enforce it?

then if ther should be a ban on smacking then there should be zero tolerance of any form of physical punishment whether it be smacking a child or not

domestic violence
bullying
children hitting there own parents
children hitting other children

ok lets ban any form of physical punishment
Would it work?

totally agree with artichokes (bugger it, she puts it so much better than me too)

I don't do it - or very very rarely I smack a hand which is going to do something to endanger its owner or another member of our household. Thus usually something dangerous and unanticipated.

No laws are perfect and this one isn't enforceable, it would just get the wrong people and feed the media with stories of unjust accusations to 'innocent' parents. IYSWIM.

Save energy and legislation for trying to catch those who prey on and injure innocent children, get a uk "megans law" first.

AS others have said a ban won't make any difference to those who hit children. I've not smacked yet, ds is still too young, but I don't rule it out. I certainly remember a hard-ish slap on the bum or 2 growing up and it has its place. A child hell bent on doing something isn't going to sit quietly while mum or dad explains why they don't want it doing. It can, where necessary, bring them up short and make them realise that their behaviour in that instant is unacceptable and a serious issue.

However, I don't agree with it as an every day sort of punishment, all you are doing then is teahing your children to use force to get a message across.

Interestingly we we talking about smacking at the weekend with a bunch of friends, all of them childless and in early 20s. The above was pretty much the general consensus and most (especially the boys) had been smacked for going a few steps too far as children.

I am for a total ban.

'a tap on the bottom as a last resort...'. What, a tap as in with one finger, or a gentle knock?

People who try to justify hitting their children by eupehmistically renaming it 'tapping' etc make me cross. If it doesn't hurt, sting or frighten it's not going to make any impact and for that reason, I think it's very wrong.

Personally, I think a ban on smacking would make things easier - much less ambiguous. At present is bit woolly - not allowed if leaves marks etc is hard to make decisions about (am social worker in child protection). Much easier to make all illegal then parents and professionals know what to work to. It is a clear message to those who are abusive and say they use reasonable force. Common sense needs to be used obviously, and I don't think will criminalize vulnerable, stressed parents any more than present law does.

Can't decide between the prices, although skiing would be fab

I personally hate smacking and can't see why people feel the need to resort to it. I do feel it sends out the completely wrong message to children.

Ooks? ...books I should say!

Two things always puzzle me.

Why do people who smack often call it a "tap"? If I tap someone on the shoulder to attract their attention, it doesn't hurt. So do they smack so lightly that it doesn't hurt? If so, what's the point?

And why do the children of smackers always seem to be running into the road, poking their fingers into electric sockets and generally indulging in life threatening behaviour?

I'd outlaw it yes. There was quite a lot of physical punishment in my house growing up and I suspect my parents would have thought twice (being law-abiding citizens) if they thought they were breaking the law.

If it's illegal to hit another adult then it should be illegal to hit a child. Everyone is up in arms if someone's partner on here lays a finger on an MNer but it's nanny state to ban a parent from hitting their kids? Do me a favour.

ooks or toys for my babies please. I have on occasion smacked my Ds, but find it does nothing but shock him for a minute then make him angry.
Dd, I've tapped a few times out of fear for her safety.
I am not for totally banning it. As was said before; the abusers won't be stopped with a ban anyway.

I would never smack my child but I do not support an outright ban. I think the law as it stands is about right - it outlaws excessive force but leaves some discretion for parents and is probably enforcable.

I am against a total ban as:

• it would be hard to enforce.
• such a ban would have little impact on the behaviour of real abusers. They are flouting the law already and would continue to do so.
• a light smack that leaves no mark is not that bad, its not great parenting but its not the worst. There are forms of verbal abuse that are worse. You cannot legislate for a perfect world.
• parental training, support and early intervention are likely to be more effective.

Mmmm Skiing goooood!
Now for the rant - I can't see that banning smacking can ever work apart from to make paranoid parents even feel even more desparate - what constitutes a 'smack'? The people who use smacking with little regard for the action or the effect on the child need more help on parenting skills than criminilisation. How this help will happen, who knows? The state try to 'help' in many frustrating and ineffective ways and I don't have an answer. Given the social problems that underly the more extreme cases, I don't think a ban will make a jot of difference to those that need it most.
Rant over.
Swooooosh... splat! (It's been a long time!)

I'be tried to give my POV on thsi but everything I type makes me sound like a evil child beating harrigan.

Its not something that happens often in our house. very rarely infact but if it does its because of extreme circumstances that have spiralled out of control or persistant dangerous "naughtiness"

unabiguoulsy sorry

you know what I mean

Survey completed, prizes please Not fussy but a bit scared of skiing...

No I don't think there should be an outright ban. Not enforceable for a start and yet another part of parenting, albeit not a great one, that we would hand over to someone else.