No good argument (How to Discipline Children)

Member Name: Data_64

Product:	How to Discipline Children
Date:	19/03/09 (7 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: passionate, if that's an advantage

Disadvantages: fallacies abound

I have to say, firstly that I could never smack my children, I don't have it in me to cause pain to someone I love. That said none of the arguments here are valid.
Statistics are used here that only reflect social opinion (which seems to stem more from suggestion than from actual thought) not actual effects and the whole thing about effect on IQ is actually a correlation, there is no proven causal relationship... it may simply be that dumb kids are more disobedient and need more discipline. None of the studies done, or are ever likely to be done, can ever be causal studies as this would require actually hitting kids that weren't hit before just to see if it makes them less intelligent.
As for children are humans too, this is true and unnecessary pain should of course be avoided, but humans ARE cruel and stupid and often need correction in a way they understand.
the most compelling argument I have seen so far is where eliminating all smacking would make it easier to catch child abusers. however child abuses are already breaking the law and I find it highly doubtful that they would actually be easier to catch if no physical punishment were allowed. It would in fact be more effective to this end to accurately define an allowable smack as Australia have done.
I personally would be appreciative if someone would come up with a good argument as to why people should not be allowed to smack their children instead of this emotive and fallacy filled pseudo-science which makes it less likely that good arguments will be taken seriously.

Summary: this is not a good case, I hope someone does better soon.