Comments on: To Smack Or Not To Smack

By: BE

BE — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:28:54 +0000

I think people should not smack their children

I agree.

By: SAm

SAm — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:47:44 +0000

I think people should not smack their children

By: BE

BE — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 03:30:59 +0000

Your article hits the nail on the head, hard.

The really interesting thing now will be to see whether the populist Key is influenced by the inevitable ‘No’ vote.

By: Nicholas Alexander

Nicholas Alexander — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:17:37 +0000

Your article hits the nail on the head, hard.

The referendum itself is the tragedy. Much child abuse will occur due to the socially manipulative and assertive question on election stationery.

By: The NZ Smacking Referendum | Disturbing Trends

The NZ Smacking Referendum | Disturbing Trends — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:16:04 +0000

[...] Brian Edwards Media Disturbing Trends article [...]

By: John C

John C — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:22:49 +0000

Perhaps the referendum should reflect instances where the courts have deemed that criminal offences have actually occurred.. It could,for example, be worded: “Should smacking your child with a piece of wood, while the child is hog-tied in a foetal position, as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence” or “Should hitting your child in the ear while abusing him with the ‘F’ word as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence.”

The referendum, as it stands, is misleading as minor smacking will not be treated as a criminal offence under the current legislation.

By: BE

BE — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:52:36 +0000

It is a parent’s right to parent the way they see fit, unless they actually are abusing their children.

You say smacking, I say hitting. All you’ve told me is that you can’t control youself. And perhaps you’d like to answer my earlier question: when you ‘smack’ your kids are you in a state of anger or is it a pre-mediated act?

By: Share Investor

Share Investor — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:35:15 +0000

It is a parent’s right to parent the way they see fit, unless they actually are abusing their children and then the full force of the law should come down on them like a ton of bricks (sadly it doesn’t)

The anti smacking law undermines parents and adults should have the ability to smack as part of their parenting.

Why should I be subject to your view of parenting by not being allowed to physically punish my child? It was never compulsory to hit kids.

I wont be made a criminal of by administering a loving smack, but unfortunately I have been by this dopey nanny State Socialist law.

85% of us want it gone.

By: BE

BE — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 02:34:02 +0000

All children are different!

It seems to me there are two types of smacks. One is in anger. Most people think this is bad, but in my view it is more understandable than a dispassionate smack. “Now Johnny, you have been bad and I am going to smack you.” In the “good only days which Latta so favours, this would have been, “Just wait till your father gets home!” Appalling stuff. I’m wearying of this debate now. Loving parents don’t hit their children. All it tells you is that they’ve lost control. End of story.

By: MM

MM — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:33:22 +0000

All children are different! I am constantly surprised by the fact that all the children I know (my own and those of my friends) are motivated by different things.

Let’s give parents credit for knowing their children. My son is infuriated by time-out and not even slightly motivated by good behaviour charts or rewards. He’s had a smack, but in all honesty very few – he is a lovely little boy and I’m really proud of how he is growing up.

In my opinion, pursuing ineffective strategies for discipline leads to the potential for verbal abuse, stalemate, and a breakdown in the relationship between parent and child.

A smack is a smack. It’s a consequence which the child is 100% able to avoid if they behave as they know they should. A beating is a beating. A child probably has little control over whether they get one or not, and they probably haven’t done much to deserve it.

Parents who deliver a smack are not the same parents who deliver a beating. Confusing the two confuses the issues. Even Cherie’s 4 year old gets this?!?!