Well done Robert !

Keep up the positive, constructive approach to an important issue.

No argument from me.

I simply add or underline that all discipline should be in the context of love, and when children understand that, they don't go out and beat up grannies or pick on little kids just because their mums or dads disciplined them occasionaly with a sore bum.

I also doubt that when they are in a committee meeting and find the mood going against them, that they will rise up out of their seats and 'assault' the 'no' voters because they were taught "Solve disagreements with violence" by parental smacks on the bum.

Does any one have any evidence to suggest that such outcomes occurr and are connected with corporal punishment as a child ?

BD, thanks for the comments. I really do want to keep debate over smacking over on your thread, it's an important discussion but I don't want to loose what we are trying to achieve here with another debate on that topic.

So far contributers have managed to avoid lining up with their teams to support their position and have instead come in with some really good points that we can all get something from. I'm hoping that this general area will provide great opportunities for sharing our best as well as opportunities to debate contentious issues.

If you are looking for another contentious issue seemingly being pushed by a small group in regard to childrens well being why not take up the recent article on not saying "no" or "don't" to children - http://www.news.com.au/sundaymail/story/0,,20267446-3102,00.html .

I'd be interested to see the response to that issue. I certainly keep those words in my toolkit and consider both important for development.

R0bert

good article maybe this is going too far ,what next a summon to desist
for four years old ? but the context is a day care center !

as for smaking kids , that's cool if youre cool I would think ,
much better than a soul destroying emotionnal demolition job
it's ok in small dose , certainly less than once a week ,between the
age of four and nine for boys , no implements and keeping in mind than
it's a therapy for the parent as much as the child , it's probably
better to smack them than to resent them .

randwick, I suspect that the place where discipline starts to go wrong is when we allow it to become therapy for the adult or to be driven by our own emotional needs. Giving a kid a belt or a tongue lashing because it makes us feel better is where we start to do harm. Tempting though it is when we need to find a different way of doing things.

Discipline of children must always be a deliberate strategy aimed at teaching them the behavious and skills necessary to deal with life in a constructive manner, the tools will vary depending on the where the child is at (and our ability to use those tools safely) but the goal must always be the childs development, never our own needs.

R0bert

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Yep ! being in control of violence against the defenceless is
powerful stuff indeed and , I suspect , addictive to the weak minded .

A good reason to discourage the casual use of the practice is not
only the damage to the child but also the damage to the parent ,
it can become a solution to all the day troubles and bother ,
including an annoying kid !
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