Is it right to smack a child aged bewteen 0-3 years?

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Hi fellow mums! I need some advice and opinions on whether you think it is acceptable to smack your child as a form of discipline? This doesn't involve gently tapping a child's hand away from a fire for protection, I am referring to smacking your child anywhere on their body as a modification to their behaviour? I am curious about the different perspectives on this, as my friend (who is expecting a child in May) and I (who already has a little girl) were discussing our very different view points on it earlier this morning.

Thankyou!

No it’s not ok IMO, however, I think that a lot of people have preconceived ideas of what is and isn’t ok before we have children, and those change once they actually do become parents.

If as a child someone was smacked and feel that it did them no harm (and such issues and views do exist in today’s adults) then it’s perfectly understandable that those adults may feel that smacking could be used as an appropriate sanction before they have children. However thinking that it’s hypothetically ok and actually doing it to an existing child are two vastly different scenarios, so just because she says that it’s ok now when she doesn’t have an actual baby yet, doesn’t mean that she’ll think it’s ok once the baby is a real living person and her head needs to consider the possibility of inflicting actual physical punishment on it.

It's completely ineffective, no matter how many parents claim otherwise. So many studies have shown it and in anecdotal experience myself and other children who were spanked don't think it made a lick of difference - except to teach us to lie to avoid punishments. If spanking worked then you'd only ever need to do it once or twice. Instead families who spank seem to do it regularly, it becomes a habit and long term it's harmful to children.

brookshelley

You are absolutely correct and the same applies to naughty steps too, if they work you would only have to send your child there once or twice.
Toddlers have no concept of what is and isn’t ‘naughty’. They are not being naughty, they are learning how to be human. If we do our work correctly when they are toddlers then our work as parents will be a smoother ride as they grow.
Being a parent isn’t easy and it doesn’t come with a guide book, children are nurtured using trial and error in the most part and thankfully most parents ‘wing it’.

Posted too soon!
My parents used to say to us, “you were lucky with your two”
Luck doesn’t come into it, we worked hard as parents, as I said earlier in the thread. 25 years ago I smacked my children and it is my one regret in life, but we got by and our children turned out great, but they would have been just as great had I not raised a hand to them.

No OP. It is not ok to hit your baby. It is not ok to hit anyone.

www.janetlansbury.com/2012/07/the-discipline-question-no-one-can-answer/

You should never hit anyone let alone a poor defenceless baby / toddler who doesn't understand. It breaks my heart the thought that some people would .