Good old fashioned smacking

[heepie]

I don't believe it did me any harm and I do wonder why the previous generation, ie mine, was so much better behavied than the current, ie my kids. I find the softly softly, ignore bad reward good behaviour does not work with a strong willed child and find myself more and more thinking what was wrong with a good old smack? Peeing on the floor right in front of you with a big smile on the face surely warrants more than the removal of a star on the reward chart? And whacking little brother over the head with a heavy object? Not eating something very nice and edible that I have slaved over in the kitchen? Why must we never tell our children to eat what is in front of them when I wasn't allowed to leave the table until I was finished? I don't have an eating disorder. I think it's time I through all the modern how to bring up children books out of the window and remember how it was done when I was a child? Anyone else feel this way?

Oh Lisa. I remember your thread and I remember how distressed you were. I'm so glad to hear things are better now. Is that little boy already a year and a half??? Wow. Almost time for the next one. (just kidding)

Saw something on TV last week though that shocked me.
It was when Bruce was in the Amazon rainforest with a tribe of Indians and there was a guy dressed up in a load of leaves with a black face and he was holding onto a child who could not have been more than 3yrs old.
And then he wacked the child with a whip like stick which left a red mark right accross the child's back, he then proceeded to get some other children and the mothers were actually holding them ready!
But then Bruce explains to camera, that the children hardly ever have to be chastised by their parents cos they have this "demon" who comes in and gives the kids a wacking anyway to make them "strong".
Takes alsorts.
AB

if you go down the road of smacking, it becomes easy. use your brains, outwit your children.

we've turned around the behaviour of DH's DD with reasoning, taking away privileges and letting our NO mean NO.

Message withdrawn

Sorry don't agree with you heepie. Can't think of any situation where I have needed or felt inclined to smack my DD, now 5yo. Have been capable of managing all of her trials and tantrums so far without resorting to smacking.

All of the situations in the OP are very typical toddler/young child situations and all easily solved without hitting IMO.

My daughter knows it is wrong to hit and especially wrong to hit children younger/smaller than herself. What message would I give if I hit her?