To be happy it will soon be illegal to smack children?

[speakout]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-41678797

Brilliant news.

Good!!!
It's illegal to smack anyone else... why should vulnerable children be assaulted?! I think it's ludicrous hitting kids has ever been acceptable!

Absolutely pinky.

I wouldn't even hit an animal, and yet hitting children is legal.

Thankfully not for much longer.

YANBU

Smacking children is not good; but neither is an unenforceable law - it brings the law into disrepute.

YANBU but don’t expect universal obedience or enforcement.

And when the argument is run that we/society/the CPS need to be understanding of cultural differences I admit to looking forward to seeing the Guardianistas scratching their arses on the horns of a dilemma.

As someone who was beaten under the guise of "discipline" I think anyone who would hit one of the smallest most vulnerable dependent members of society is a disgusting piece of work. I despair that it will ever be illegal in my country. And we wonder why we are so violent

Yanbu.

Never understood smacking, How is using violence going to show a child how to behave?

Not saying people should do it but it's a nonsense unenforceable law

And when the argument is run that we/society/the CPS need to be understanding of cultural differences I admit to looking forward to seeing the Guardianistas scratching their arses on the horns of a dilemma.

Lol, t'will be fun.

I don't think that the type of parents that smack their children are going to suddenly stop because of a change in the law though.

Yanbu

Not saying people should do it but it's a nonsense unenforceable law

I disagree.

It used to be acceptable not that long ago to hit your wife, police were not interested.

Laws need to move with the times.

Assaulting another person is clearly not acceptable.

I see children being smacked in public and it's disgusting.
When the law changes I will have no hesitation in phoning the police.

Great news, not a clue where my dd learnt smacking, but wish she's stop smacking me

I don't think that the type of parents that smack their children are going to suddenly stop because of a change in the law though.

Perhaps, although it may cause them to reflect when the get a criminal conviction and social services overseeing their relationships with their kids.

It's good that it will be made illegal, because that sends the right message. I seriously doubt it will make much actual difference to how many children are smacked though. Presumably the vast majority of smacking happens at home. And I doubt many smackers will think twice even in public, as even if someone did report it (which most people wouldn't) it would be pretty hard to report unless you knew the perpetrator.

it would be pretty hard to report unless you knew the perpetrator.

Easy to track people down in public.

I'd take a photo, and of any car registration and give to the police.
Supermarkets and their car parks have CCTV as do streets, so actually quite easy to get evidence of child assault.

it's illegal in Scotland.. many people have been prosecuted where proof can be established in Court x

Unfortunately as society already seems to disagree with smacking children, it happens behind closed doors anyway.
There is no way this could be enforced- it is already illegal to hit a child and leave any sort of mark or damage, so if there was any proof smacking had happened it is already illegal

Yes I suppose as another poster has said it does atleast send the message to parents that it is no longer acceptable at the very least.

And when the argument is run that we/society/the CPS need to be understanding of cultural differences I admit to looking forward to seeing the Guardianistas scratching their arses on the horns of a dilemma

I don't see that that's a problem. DS works in a school where there are a substantial number of students from an ethnic minority that very much values hard work at school, but some tend to enforce it by physical punishment. When the staff find out about particular instances, they don't close their wet liberal eyes, they have a conversation with the parents in which they make it clear that they're not allocating blame, but that it's simply not acceptable That seems to resolve the problem virtually every time

It's a step in the right direction for sure.

To the pp who stayed about 'culture differences' and those 'guardianistas' - I am one of those liberal leftie types and there is a no tolerance for beating the vulnerable in my eyes, regardless of culture. I'm not sure who would disagree?!

oh, I thought it already was.

about time then... there are so many ways to discipline without hitting.

It's ridiculous to suggest we should close our eyes to what is, on any interpretation, physical assault just because it goes on behind closed doors and would be difficult to enforce. On that basis, we should have no laws against domestic violence, child neglect or child abuse. There is a definite value in making sure that it's clear that this is not acceptable conduct, in particular in letting children know that society does not accept it.

Tough one. I accept the law has to protect children but there are times I've nearly cracked and hit my son back when he's bashing me in anger.

It's true that hitting adults is illegal but that doesn't stop my seven year old son from lashing out in frustration. If I'm honest, I think one of the reasons he hits me is because he doesn't realise it actually hurts. But he'll never know how his actions affect others because nobody has ever hit him.

I do not agree with harming children in any way shape or form. However I do believe in discipline and im wondering if the lack of discipline in today's society is related to the increase in crime rates also in the news today. How do children learn consequences? For example walking home the other evening a group of 12ish year olds throwing stones at passing cars. Having a great laugh about it. I said please don't do that you could cause an accident and alot of damage. I got told to fuck off you fat bitch.
I know I would never have dared to speak to an adult in that way. Neither would my friends or siblings. I find groups of youths can be incredibly intimidating. A Stern word has zero affect. Im not saying smacking is the only way to discipline a child but would be really interested in knowing how you teach consequence to actions. Sitting on the naughty step having toys confiscated etc are great but forgotten about pretty quickly?
My husband works in the hospitality industry and finding new staff who respect other and rules is getting harder and harder. They haven't had consequences for their actions. Smacking innocent children for every tiny little thing IS wrong please don't think I'm saying it's ok but they also need teaching right from wrong and im worried this is the start on a slippery slope where more and more parents will be to worried to discipline their children because they will be too scared of it coming back at them.

A lot more children could end up in care and that will lead to abuse. I agree with the change but more needs to be done in educating parents on how to react in difficult situations.