Did anyone Used to Get Smacked as a Child?

picnmix

I can remember getting a smack on the bum when I was little from my mum, but only in extreme circumstances, I can also remember getting far harder wallops at school, and a science teacher who used to launch the board rubber with impressive aim to any pupil in the class who played up, never missing!

threemuttleys

Yes. I was smacked. Never caused me any problems. I wont smack mine tho

make_me_wise

I dont think smacking kids achieves anything. They dont learn right from wrong by being smacked. I work as a teacher, so of course when a child steps out of line I cant give them a smack, I have to verbally explain to them why they shouldn't do something. I dont feel this leaves me being any less in control than a parent would be, in the same situation.

Alot of the mums and dads I have met would rather give their little kid a quick smack and send them to their room than bother talking things through. It shows as well, when there are arguments or disagreements in the playground and the kids first reaction to something going wrong is to lash out!

I wasn't smacked as a child and dont believe in it, but each to their own.

fannyanna

In the grand scheme of things I’m not against a parent smacking their child providing it is used on young children and the smacking is controlled (i.e. no hitting out of anger) and on the bottom or hand. I certainly would not be reporting them for child abuse.

However

Isn't this just teaching children that hitting CAN be acceptable? I can see how it would lead to confusion for small children. Mummy and Daddy are allowed to smack them but they're not allowed to smack anyone.

But also should it really be necessary to resort to smacking in order to discipline a child? Surely there are other methods which are just as effective. What about the naughty step or simply explaining to the child why what they have done is wrong.

My memories of being disciplined when I was younger mainly revolve around being sent to my room and then feeling complete shame when my Mum explained to me why I was being disciplined. I felt a lot more shame and regret as a child when my Mum explained to me why she was disappointed in my behaviour than I did from her smacking me on the odd occasion. If anything as a child I would be stubborn and sulk after being smacked as I then had a sense of injustice.

tiamai_d

Tropez wrote: »

There is a lack of statistical evidence to support your hypothesis so although it sounds logical it may not be correct. However, suggesting that there is no correlation between being smacked and crime on the basis that other people were smacked and didn't commit crime is a logical fallacy - one could argue there is no correlation between alcohol and liver disease on the basis that millions of people drink alcohol and compartively few contract liver disease, but we know this to be false.

The reason people are so willing to dismiss psychological arguments are because the effects are not obvious and cannot be discerned by the eye or under a microscope, which is why so much research is done. There are significant, relevant factors in many cases of violent criminals, and physical discipline as a child is by far and away the most common. It is also commonly linked to depression, paranoia and anxiety issues too.

I do understand what you're saying but I still beleive that it is wrong to say that it leads to a life of crime or suggest that it does. There has to be a balance. The odd glass of wine won't do your liver any harm. Several bottles a day will.

Also I just hate that a lot of reasons are given as to why people commit crimes. Their parents split up, they were smacked, their puppy died, when really its mostly because they decided they wanted something that wasn't theirs.

*Twinkle*

i've been on the end of many a tanned !!!!, and deservedly so, i was a nightmare of a child, never hit mine tho, just dont see that it acheived anything with me!

Mrs_Arcanum

Perhaps the problems have become worse because on the one hand parents are actively discouraged from smacking (a discipline method learnt form their parents). Yet are not given workable and quick alternatives. Add to this that many parents no longer support schools current control systems either.

So all they learn is that if they behave badly at school parents will take their side and they get away with bad behaviour.

Tropez

tiamai_d wrote: »

I do understand what you're saying but I still beleive that it is wrong to say that it leads to a life of crime or suggest that it does. There has to be a balance. The odd glass of wine won't do your liver any harm. Several bottles a day will.

Also I just hate that a lot of reasons are given as to why people commit crimes. Their parents split up, they were smacked, their puppy died, when really its mostly because they decided they wanted something that wasn't theirs.

But I'm not saying it will lead to a life of crime, only that by using smacking, particularly on any sort of ongoing, regular basis increases the chances of that child developing any one of a number of linked psychological disorders or impairments that could prove detrimental to either that person or others.

Exceptions to the rule exist in all cases. Some people will be smacked and will be fine, others won't be smacked and will go out and commit violent crimes. It was suggested earlier on this thread that not smacking kids is the reason we have so much teenage crime so therefore I must be an exception to that rule because I was never smacked and do not have a criminal record.

I also believe that studying the causes of crime is very important. A study was conducted in New York in the 1970s and 1980s, at a time when it was roundly considered a crime-ridden cesspit and the findings of this study were translated into action being taken not only to locate and prosecute offenders but to remove what were widely considered to be the causes of criminal behaviour. While, of course, New York is not crime free the legacy left by this project has resulted in New York becoming one of the safest cities in the United States.

Chakani

I remember every time I was smacked as a child (not as many times as some posters) - and every time was a result of one of my parents losing control of their own reactions. For this reason, it made my respect for them much less than when they dealt with things differently. Children know when adults have lost it.

It is all very well enforcing good behaviour through physical means when they are small enough, but one day that 2 year old heading for the cooker is going to be a 16 year old who is bigger than you, heading for something equally as dangerous/ill advised. Parents have to put in the ground work when their children are very small to enable them to still have control and respect (and not fear) from their children when they grow up.

I have never, and I hope will never, hit my children, and they are very well behaved and well balanced. I am sure there are parents out there who manage to smack and still bring up well-behaved children, but it isn't necessary. It's just a short cut.

Gemmy_2

If i was naughty when i was younger (i was :l) i got a quick slap. It taught me right from wrong. I'm pretty sure my parents would still slap me if i over stepped the line.

I really don't think it caused me any harm.