Slapped my 6yo boy this morning - am I evil?

[Rococorita]

Can't stop crying. My 6yo DS was acting up before school this morning. Wouldn't get dressed, shouting rude things at me, and finally whacking me. I snapped and slapped him - quite hard - on the cheek. I have never done this before. He was shocked and burst into tears. On the way to school I told him I loved him and was sorry but he said he hated me and would never kiss me again. I'm a complete wreck.

Have I done irreparable damage - and should I be turning myself in to social services immediately?

Oh, am I doing a DelBoy?

chooses

I don't think children learn to hit through smacking. I have never hit my DD, but she bloody well has clumped me more times than i care to mention. I am not an anti-smacker, just had no reason to do so, seeing that she is only three and very funny when she is naughty. I did smack DD1, when i lost my temper, i hate myself for it.

ok Noddy, point taken, but have you never smacked?

If you haven't well I am amazed, if you have then surely the only response to the OP is empathy..no?

Lucy as has been mentioned before, no-one I think is advocating smacking. I have done it (not for some years) and it didn't feel good, but I have nothing but sympathy for someone who posts on here, beating themselves up about a fairly isolated incident

If you look back I addressed the OP and did say I was not talking about her.I have never smacked seriously I am not at all saintly but the situation has never arisen where I have had to choose how to sort a situation with ds and all I could do was hit him.I am quite volatile and opinionated so no saint!I was smacked and resented my mum for years for it I didn't respect her and tvh didn't know where i stood as i was never given a list of smackable and non smackable offences!A child should not have to be struck to learn.We must have moved on from that.

Good post, Huw.

The good lady came to us for help, not condemnation.

Who's condemning her?

and I think Noddy, the root of your problem with your mum was lack of communication.

Maybe your issue here is that she didn't feel bad, she didn't apologise, unlike the OP. So in both cases a smack, but essentially still very different scenarios.

My mum has apologised now and we have moved far beyond that.She thought it was the way to go it was learned behaviour she totally accepts it is wrong. I think she would love to have her time again and she often says so.I think that is sad but in thos edays people did smack but like I say please god we have moved on.

Just wondering aloud here about why people respond to certain situations with a smack...it is most certainly because the smacker is angry and frustrated but isn't is also about establishing a hierarchy, about reinforcing who is the boss and about setting out where the boundaries are? All animals have pecking orders, particularly primates, and I think this need for hierarchy is what child discipline is all about. If this hierarchy is lacking, then how can the younger generation know where the boundaries are - wouldn't they learn instead that they can get away with anything?