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

The polioce wouldn;'t attempt to call it. Why I do support it is that it sends a very stark message to those who beat their kids. That the next time I, or someone else, sees them whacking a baby in the street, or their neighbours hear what's going on through the walls, that what is occuring is inambiguoulsy illegal and that the police should be called.

No parent will be criminalised for tapping their child when they have run out of options. But is might get them thinking of looking for better strategies instead of relying on smaking.

For these reasons, I am in favour of a smaking ban.

(MT)

expat is right and who could police it anyway

Expat - you said it for me!

i'm getting sick of all this banning left and right.

yet why isn't there an outright ban on drinking and driving?

ban smacking, ban smoking, ban 3 or more teens hanging out, ban non-fruit snacks in schools, ban their bringing in hot food, ban sales of XYZ.

doesn't it make you feel pretty stupid? like you're not bright enough to decide your own behaviour?

it's a stupid and short-sighted way of dealing with undesirable behaviour.

I am sitting on the fence on this one....if the smacking is to be outlawed then in my case where I have a 14 year old dd who repeatlety hits me...should she be charged with assault[hmmm]

I am opposed to smacking have never smacked my children and think that it is not a good parenting technique
but
a ban is unenforcable as it couldn't be policed much better using our energies in helping people to develop other strategies for those challenging moments

I think smacking doesn't work - children are mirrors and if they are smacked they are likely to go and smack. Smacking is normally a lack of control in a parent. If you count to 10 before hitting out it probably wouldn't happen.

The above is my personal opinion learnt from my very very headstrong, frustrating and difficult ds1. After I've smacked him I just feel like a bully!

In an ideal world smacking would be banned but in an ideal world I would always be calm and in a position to negoiate (sp!) with my DC!

Skiing please!!

And.. I have nearly smacked a few times, but never have. I think its hard to say "don't hit", and then do it yourself. But completely agree with Rubberduck when saying that you can't criminalise people for a one or twice loss of cool when bringing up children is so damn hard sometimes.

I have mixed feelings about this. I have smacked my eldest (absolute last resort) a couple of times. Don't think I've ever smacked my youngest. I do think, in general, that smacking is an ineffectual punishment and often overused. I intensely dislike seeing other people smacking their children.

However, I feel uncomfortable criminalising someone who smacks their child once (whether out of desperation, due to lack of other support or as a considered method of punishment). I feel uncomfortable ruling it out as a method of last resort (say, in a situation of danger - hand reaching for something hot or an electrical point - it's almost instinctive to swat the hand away).

And what about other abusive behaviours towards children. Will shouting aggressively right in their face be banned, for example? Swearing and continually demeaning your child?

I think I'd like to see existing laws being policed more effectively first, on the whole.

Oh, and books please

So is the plan to criminalise ordinary decent parents who use a tap on the bottom as a last resort for a toddler behaving dangerously? Because it damn sure won't make any difference to parents who are abusive to their children.
Is it really enforceable?

Skiing here too please