Smack in the face (How to Discipline Children)

Member Name: gaultier100

Product:	How to Discipline Children
Date:	01/06/01 (144 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good for young children

Disadvantages: The line can be overstepped

I've always felt that smaking is a very personal issue for a parent. It depends very much on what you believe and more importantly, how you were disciplined as a child. I was smacked sometimes when I was young, more because my parents were concerned for my safety rather than whether I'd misbehaved or not. After all, children may not always understand what they have done is wrong or dangerous but they will always understand a twinge of pain. I may have felt that they weren't being fair when I was younger but I now I understand what they were trying to do. And for the record I'm not a violent person because or it, nor do I have problems being too aurthoritarian, which is the usual against smacking argument. But that doesn't mean to say that I support smacking entirely. Physical discipline can go too far and where it crosses the line into being abuse is always contentious.

It is for this reason that I believe that if you are going to smack your child, it should be either be instantaneous or if they are older, their choice of how they are punished. Looking back on my childhood, as I got older, I was fined spending money if I was bad but I hated that so maybe if I had been given the choice, I would've prefered a sharp smack or being grounded. When it all comes down to it, punishment, whether physical or not, is always better if it is given by someone who truly has your best interests at heart, like a loving parent.

Summary: