Smacking - was it ok in the 90s?

[treebird3]

Inspired by the other smacking thread.

My father smacked me a lot in the 90s - on the hand, thighs, bum (sometimes bare).

I've always thought this was normal for the time but I was speaking to a colleague the same age who said she was never smacked.

Okay no. Common yes. Everyone I know ( I’m 33 so was an 80s baby, 90s kid)was smacked at least once.

I'm not sure, I think I got smacked once or twice but only when I really had been a little shit.

My grandmother born 1916 was never smacked nor were her 14 brothers and sisters

Was normal for me and everyone I know.

I was a 90s kid and I used to get smacked as did my sibling. It was pretty standard, most of our friends got smacked as well. Seemed to be the norm.

Yes, happened to me. I was hit in anger. I would prefter to avoid at all costs with my own children.

To add I don’t feel bad about it and it doesn’t affect me in anyway at all, can’t get worked up about it.

Child abuse was more widely accepted in our society, and this particular form of child abuse was probably more prevalent, in the 90s but it was never ok.

Marital rape only became a crime in England in the 90s, but it was never ok either.

I was born in the late 80s and often smacked and hit. Most of my friends and family were too.
I don't know how common it was NOT to hit your kids, but certainly it was accepted where I grew up... was common to see kids "cuffed" around the head walking down the street.

I was born in the mid 80's and was never smacked. Not once.

I now work in a school in a safeguarding role and even in 2020 you still get parents claiming that smacking is "the norm" and "every parent does it".

Yep I was smacked regularly by my dad , hand mark always left on thigh used to sting so bad!!

No, I don't think it was okay. I'm a 90s kid, and I was never smacked, nor were any of the people I know.

I was born in the 70s, never got smacked during the 80s/90s. Likewise I've never smacked either of my children. Don't think any of my close friends were smacked either. It was as unacceptable then in my parents eyes as it is for me as a parent now.

The only smack I ever recall was a Peggy Mitchell style slap across the face from my mum when I was about 15. I totally deserved it. My dad has never laid a finger on me.

In my view, the fact there are so many adults who think it's ok to hit children and/or not a big deal as a direct consequence of having been hit as children themselves is already enough to condemn such behaviour, even before you look at those who are living with trauma due to being assaulted by their parents.

Yes. I was smacked in 90s by my dad, when I had been naughty.

Much preferred being smacked to my mum’s ‘silent treatment’, which felt like torture.

It was seen as unacceptable in a lot of circles but still more common than it should be. Debated in parliament quite a bit as there were proposals to make it illegal.
My eldest is (just) a 90s child and none of the parents I was mates with smacked. Very much not acceptable.

My relatives in North Wales however...

Happened - yes. OK - no.

I was smacked as a child but in hindsight, it was in anger and not as a punishment.

I sometimes have nightmares about snacking my DC and I wake up crying due to my dream.

IME smacking was dying out (no longer allowed even in private schools after 93), but pulling kids by the ear or shoving them into a seat was very normal.

Yes I was smacked but it wasn’t a violent reaction, it was a seemingly measured decision, after being naughty (I was an awful toddler), my dad would come home from work and smack my bum or legs. It was a discipline choice. I think many people assume smacking is a child says something and it’s retaliation, rather than a chose. form of punishment. Times change but it was different to being “beaten”

It was commonplace in my circle yes.

I was born in the 60’s. I was never smacked. Both my parents were born in the 40’s. They were never smacked by their parents. My children were born in 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s. They have never been smacked. There is no justification for physically assaulting a child - ever - regardless of the era they were born.

I'm late 80's and my brother is early 90's and we were both smacked. My brother more so.

My IL's have suggested it for managing DS1 who is a cheeky sod but not a chance!!!! I remember the feeling waiting for the smack to come, and how upset I was after it happened. Not a chance would I put my children through that.

Our relationship is absolutely fine as an adult, but as a young child my Dad was a real disciplinarian and I was terrified of him. A lot of that tied in with him being from the Caribbean and giving "licks" was very normal. Every single one of my cousins would have been hit for bad behaviour.

pretty common, we're were smacked with implements in the 80s... can say I've had any trauma from it tho I wouldn't hit my kids

Born in 1989. I was smacked, not often. The threat of being smacked had me running up to my room. I’m a perfectly normal adult and don’t hold any ill feelings towards my parents