To find this slightly disturbing?

[PrettyCandles]

When talking about foods to a group of Year 1 children, I mentioned horseradish and one of the children said "I know what horseradish is! My mum gives it me when I'm naughty."

[JodieG1]

Well I can't say smacking is worse than making your child eat something that will upset them. About the same imo. It's degrading and humiliating for the child.

[Washersaurus]

It is degrading and humiliating I agree, but if you've tried everything else.....

[LittleSarah]

Punishments are generally supposed to be unpleasant are they not?

Seriously though I agree it seems a strange method of punishment and overly harsh. Still many people seem to have assumed a lot on very little evidence. Morningpaper suggested he perhaps had some once and so the mum uses it as a threat... that seems possible. Exp and I don't smack but I have had dd saying mummy/daddy hit me and so on, I hope people don't take that at face value.

People have mentioned it been forced in and burning his mouth and so on but we have no idea of how/what actually happens.

[marieg76]

Oh goodness me - a little bit of vinegar or horseradish on a childs tongue is NOT child abuse! If only we all acted with such horror when we saw parents beating the crap out of their kids in the street - when most of the time, I don't doubt, we tut and carry on walking.

Sure, the vinegar/horseradish punishment isn't nice for the child but that's the very point. If they misbehave, their are consequences. If the Supernanny tactics don't work on your child, a punishment that is non-violent/non-degrading (and really, the vinegar/horseradish thing is not degrading) is an acceptable alternative.

[southeastastra]

my mum used to make me eat greens - abuse!

[RustyBear]

Tenalady - if your son hears you swear, do you take vinegar?

[JodieG1]

It is degrading and it clearly will humiliate the child. It's not just unpleasant it's worse imo as it's very calculating. Just because someone has "tried everything else" doesn't mean you think of something worse, what if smacking didn't work? Smack harder? Hit more? Do worse? No, you go back and try different things or maybe talk to the child. I'm surprised that anyone thinks it's acceptable to subject a child to this.

[LittleSarah]

If that is directed at me I think my post made it clear I wasn't talking about smacking but about punishments.

[giraffeski]

Message withdrawn

[saralou100]

when i was little and still sucking my fingers, my dad put mustard on my fingers to get me to stop!

i have a mustard phobia now

and i've never forgiven that man!!!

and it didn't make me stop!!

[fireflyfairy2]

My mil used to dip SIL's fingers in piccalilli to stop her biting her finger nails!!

[3andnomore]

giraffeski ....that is just awful, you poor thing...

[giraffeski]

Message withdrawn

[pinknfluffy29]

i had my mouth washed out by a dinner lady with big bar of green fairy soap for saying bugger!!! i was not degraded or abused and believe me i didnt say bugger ever again (least not in her earshot)

vinegar or horseradish is at least edible - ive heard horror stories of dog food and cripes knows what else so if my son ever came out with the f word or the b word or the c word or any of the other class a words then i would definitely use vinegar - far more better than fairy liquid etc..

[belgo]

giraffeski - that must have made you fit.

I'll stick to time out with my kids.

I'll start a thread 'until what age is time out appropriate?'

[beckybrastraps]

Oh God. Threatening to chop off a child's fingers is not abuse.

Even if the parent is fat .

I regularly threaten to eviscerate my children.

But I break the golden rule of behaviour management and never follow through on my threat...

[UnquietDad]

I didn't say it was abuse, I was just relaying the incident for comment...

[beckybrastraps]

Oh...

[UnquietDad]

but I probably shouldn't have said she was fat as that wasn't strictly relevant

[Judy1234]

Ooh, that jehovah's witness woman from Eastern Europe who was jailed yesterday used to give the foster children chilli powder or something in their mouths as punishment and siad it was culturally normal to do that where she was from. She's now been jailed...

[Judy1234]

No one needs punishments for children. How weird. You need to go on courses on how to deal with children. This thread reads like something from 1880. I can't believe people like a lot of you exist! Beginning to be glad my father's a psychiatrist. I think the NSPCC should be told about any of you who do these things to your children. It's morally wrong and absolutely terrible parenting.

[beckybrastraps]

She did a bunch of other stuff too didn't she?

[beckybrastraps]

What? Threatening to eviscerate them?

[Judy1234]

Yes, locking them in cupboards and things too but the newspapers like me also picked up on the unusual and wicked putting of substance on tongue. No one does that and if anyone does that on this thread I want them to go to the NSPCC in confidence and ask for the NSPCC's views.

Threatening violence to anyone is a crime by the way even if they are smaller than you.

[beckybrastraps]

Give over!