1.  
   GF from Wigan says:

   Oct 11, 18:06

   The only real discipline is self- discipline; knowing when to stop or better still, what not to begin!
   As a child, I was smacked, but that's what taught me self-discipline. I learned when to stop pushing my luck as I began to recognise the effect my actions were having upon my parents (and teachers). In short, I learned to stop before I made my parents lose their tempers.Consequently, the very fact that I was smacked resulted in me rarely needing to be smacked. Furthermore, it taught me to understand the perspective of my parents, recognising that they have feelings and can be pushed too far, and recognising my own selfishness whenever I misbehaved.
   I have two children who learned the way I did. I can only remember smacking them once each. They both grew into thoroughly thoughtful, respectable teenagers- not geeks or wimps, but strong people who can hold their own in the right sort of way.
   It is a pity that the issue of smacking children evokes thoughts of regular beatings as, during my childhood, smacking was acceptable but not commonplace amongst my friends, and I believe children of my generation grew up showing ten-fold the respect that today's children do.

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   Is smacking acceptable?

   Yes
2.  
   William from manchester says:

   Oct 11, 10:55

   im 13and smacking seems the only way to control teenagers like me. im not saying its happened on me but i think it was effective when i was small. i am now very mature

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   Is smacking acceptable?

   Yes
3.  
   sandy from central scotland says:

   Oct 11, 10:18

   I have a nephew who has a damaged eardrum because his father 'cuffed' 'cracked' 'slapped' him.
   I turned out OK despite living in FEAR of a BULLY for a father who thought he was doing the right thing because his dad was a policeman and dished out physical punishments.

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   Is smacking acceptable?

   No
4.  
   zan from pompey says:

   Oct 11, 09:30

   A smack didn't hurt anyone, I got a smack as a kid, several times a week, i was a little sod, speaking to me didn't work, keeping me in didn't work. The local bobby used to clip me round the ear before taking me home to a smack off of my Dad for doing wrong, which was always on the cards. I had the cane off the headmaster. My Sister on the other hand had a smack once in her life she didn't like it, telling her off was good enough to reduce her to tears. Depends, some kids need a smack some don't it's down to the parents to ensure they bring their kids up to be decent human beings. Next door to me has 2 kids she can't control and she gets in a right old mess all we ever hear is her shouting at the kids and them shouting back, I won't have them in our house and I've told her straight, until you teach your kids how to behave in someone elses home and have respect you are not welcome, if they had a good clip here and there it would bring them into line.

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   Is smacking acceptable?

   Yes
5.  
   jan from kuala lumpur says:

   Oct 11, 03:56

   my grandmother brought us up with the odd smack if we were really out of line (a solitary slap on the back of the leg and an order to come back downstairs when we felt we could behave properly). that was the end of it - we came down from our rooms contrite, and nothing more was said. we all loved staying with our grandmother as we new where our boundaries were.
   i did the same with my kids, following grandma's advice to smack when absolutely necessary between the ages of 2 and 4. this i did, and in those two years i must have smacked less than ten times in total. my kids soon knew when i was serious and they learned to trust me as i always followed through on whatever threat i made. hence no ridiculous scenes in the supermarket etc. (don't parents have a duty not to inflict their children on the general public? turning a blind eye to a ten minute screaming fit on the bus helps who?)
   
   after the age of four, my kids were old enough to understand reasons for reproach. they now have a clear idea of what is and is not appropriate behaviour and many pass comment on what a delight they are. i like to think this is in some part because i brought them up as a parent, not as a 'mate'. when was parenthood ever a popularity contest?

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   Is smacking acceptable?

   Yes

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