Is there anybody who thinks it is okay to hit a child?

[effoffyouseeyounexttuesday]

Most discussions about this seem to have the majority of posters saying it's never ok to hit a child. This is my vehement belief - it's never ok for anyone to hit anyone. And an adult hitting a child is as unacceptable as it would be for any adult to adult situation.

I'm curious to know if there are any MNers who believe it's ok to hit children?

The truth I'm involved in a situation where some children have been subject to this by a parent who thinks it's fine to do it as it's legal in England (for now) and it's their right.

I'm curious to know how many people have this belief in this day and age.

I have never, and will never, smack my children.

My mum smacked me. She probably couldn't handle the toddler years and was stressed out and that's how she dealt with bad behaviour. I think there are plenty of parents who still smack their kids but you won't have many confessing on here.

The people who think it's ok to smack are child are the same people saying it was fine that Will Smith slapped Chris Rock (and there were A LOT of MNers who said this).

Gross.

Another thread on hitting? Yes obviously some people think it’s ok as some people do smack. No one will admit it though 🤷‍♀️

Just to add I know loads of people irl who smack.

No, I don't it is ever ok to hit a child.

Yes, another one indeed.

Lots of people think it's OK. Even to the point of putting it on FB (school mum, obviously not OK but light slap following public bad behaviour) and complaining that a member of the public called her out).

Honestly, who is going to come here and admit that?

@HerefortheCunts

Yes, another one indeed.

What's your point ? I saw the other one about government stopping it in England after I wrote mine.

It's not a poo troll situation!

@dayswithaY

Honestly, who is going to come here and admit that?

Those who believe it's ok to do it might well come on here and fight their corner.

The parent in question has done this to date while not a public forum it's been done in discussions with social services.

Well it’s naive to think that no one thinks hitting children is ok.
Many do but they don’t admit it on MN.

@dayswithaY

Honestly, who is going to come here and admit that?

Anonymous forum- probably a good place to come to say it if you are so sure of your beliefs that it's ok

dayswithaY
Sorry didn't think my first reply loaded

Maybe it's because it's about to become criminalised that people aren't admitting it on a public forum. If drinking cappuccino was banned tomorrow most people would stop drinking cappuccino too.

The thing to remember is that abusive parents will always find a way to abuse whether it's smacking or something else. I've come across enough in my life to know the unique and cruel things a parent can do instead of smacking.

I don't think it is ok for adults to smack children at all. I also don't think there is a need. I do believe that children should know that actions have consequences though, and I think parents should be consistent with how they deal with that. Never by physical violence though

I don't think it's OK at all.
I think a lot of people don't view it as abusive, or minimise it or it's been so normalised in their family that it's just "OK" somehow.

I don't think it being illegal will stop some people, either, sadly.

I dont think its ok or fine or good or even neutral, but there definitely are different levels of not ok, and I think old customs sometimes take a few generations to die out and I think some peoples reactions can be a bit disproportionate to the crime ie stop all unsupervised contact because of a slapped hand .

It's never ok to hit anyone or anything.
The sooner it's illegal, the better.

of course it's not unreasonable to smack a hand or a well padded bottom when dealing with small children. by the age of 4 this is probably unnecessary.
abuse however is not acceptable.

I think it's disgusting that anyone could advocate pain infliction in order for a child to learn from their mistakes. I wouldn't lay a finger on my dog, or any other animal, never mind a child.

@fallfallfall . It is not logical to hit a child and justify it by saying it probably didn't hurt the child. You are deliberately trying to frighten the child with physical punishment and then claim that it didn't really hurt. So what was the point? So you could take out your anger and frustration on a someone a lot smaller than yourself? If a man lightly hits his wife is that ok because he didn't really hurt her. Once someone starts hitting, they do it again and again.
It is completely inexcusable to physically abuse and frighten a small child.

I'd never hit a child, but I did poke DS quite hard once when he bit me. He was about three and the poke was to get him off. It was over in a second.

We were both rather shocked by the experience and I felt awful. He didn't bite me again. I've certainly not poked him again!

I was smacked as a child, as a punishment for bad behaviour. It seems like a ridiculous thing to do now

I think a light smack on the backside is fine if a child is really misbehaving