ooh there's a few, but mainly
People who hit their kids. There is no need to 'educate' anyone in this way, it's cowardly, stupid and fucking pathetic. Even a little smack is completely and totally fucking unaccaptable. It drives me mad with rage when I see parents wallopping their kids in a supermarket because they're misbehaving. Try reasoning with them, or just being nice, instead of bribing them by pumping them full of sugar and crisps and then hitting them when they run around like little maniacs.
You wouldn't smack an adult if they didn't do what you want without being prosecuted, so what right have you got to slap a child who is relying on you to teach them how to behave? fucking morons.
( BlueHaze Chutney. All good., Fri 2 May 2008, 9:51, 14 replies)

I disagree
I see alot of parents these days walking around, making their child sit on the "Naughty Step".

The kid doesn't care, he's basically getting off scott free. All of this liberal hippy crap where you can't hit your hid, you have to treat them like adults etc is just, well, hippy crap!
I don't believe in hitting your kid so much as it becomes a routine. That's just a bit over the top. I was 'hit' as a kid, whenever i was told no, then no again but i still did it.
I like to believe i turned out respectable, and i sure as hell didn't cross my father! That being said, he was the most influential person in my life and we're good friends, even now.
So no, i think hitting your kids to a degree is right just dont go over the top like the Chavulation.

edit: I forgot to mention, it's a bit of both, not all hitting and not all negotiating.
( Axai is in Montréal, Canada O.o, Fri 2 May 2008, 9:55, closed)

I agree with JayHay
Much more effective to remove their food privileges.
( enoughblueskyforsailorstrousers, Fri 2 May 2008, 9:57, closed)

My son is two
And if he is intentionally naughty, he goes on the "naughty step" and it breaks my heart to do so, because he's distraught at being told off by us. And he doesn't do it again. Violence is no way to solve anything, my parents spanked me when I was naughty and I'm a perfectly respectable person, but I just don't believe it's necessary to hit a child. And I'm not a hippy.
( BlueHaze Chutney. All good., Fri 2 May 2008, 10:06, closed)

In Austria
Do they now threaten with a 'Naughty cellar'?
(turtles head is touching cloth poked a dwarf on the forehead at, Fri 2 May 2008, 10:10, closed)

I's not the worst thing you can do to a child
There are times when a single swat to the buttocks lets the kid know they've crossed a line, and you're too tired, too busy, or just too pissed off with them to do a better job of parenting right at the moment. It's not child abuse, it's a handy short cut.

Plus, if they know you will do it, it can be an effective deterrent without being used. "Do you want me to smack you here in front of all these people?" will often cut through the vilest tantrum.

And if you don't think force is a reasonable tool to use against adults, tell that to the police, who are entitled to kill you if that's what it's going to take to get you to behave. Letting children go through early life with no concept of the fact that violence and force can and will be used against them if they transgress is no way to prepare them for the harsh realities of life.

If you don't have kids, your right to an opinion on the subject is severely restricted. If you have kids, and you've managed to raise them without ever using force, well done, you're a better parent than me, you win. If, on the other hand, this means that they think that no-one will ever lay a hand on them, you fail.
(Leo Sasquatch hates being the grown-up, Fri 2 May 2008, 10:20, closed)

I agree with this.
My parents hit me because they'd lost control and it was the only way they could regain authority. It didn't stop me misbehaving; it just made me afraid of them until I was 14.
( Bob Todd whee, Fri 2 May 2008, 10:21, closed)

There has been questions over the legality of smacking/warning tapping your kids.
I looked into this when my gobby little fuckshite lovely 14 year old daughter started trying to believe she was in charge, and could dictate when she gets a lift to her friends/get picked up etc.
I found out that, and this is quoted: 'Providing that nothing more than a temporary red mark is left, then no law has been broken, or no child is deemed at risk'.
That put her in her place, I will NOT have my 14 year old child turn into some modern fucking hitler in the house.
And yes, she has had a slap round the chops, nothing hard, but it was the shock of me doing what I said I would that worked more than anything.
She has since become a lot more considerate and no longer looks down on us 'peasant parents'.
I use a different form of punishment now, I take her charger away for her mobile phone and laptop, that works wonders, because if she want to use them to talk to her friends, she can, for a while anyway.
I had an arguement with my missus last week, because even after all that she was still DEMANDING a lift somewhere, so I took the wheel off the car and told her I'd give her a lift if she put the wheel on.
At the end of the day, it's how kids are brought up, if you spoil them and give them what they want when they want then they'll be little shitbags.

I was a bit harsh with her the other day though, I have 3 snakes and in a tantrum she threw a battery at my Viv that has a snake that's due to lay eggs any day now, I told her that if it had bust, the only room in the house it can't escape from is hers, so I'd let it live in there with her until I got the Viv fixed. She can't stand them, they're only about 5 foot long as well.
(Mensa Reject has gone out, I'll be back on, Fri 2 May 2008, 10:29, closed)

I got hit as a kid
I'm not planning to sue them now and looking back I probably deserved it. I don't have kids, but I'd like to think that one day I could keep the family tradition alive.
(The Archduke of South London I'm in your Girlfriend eating her organs, Fri 2 May 2008, 10:30, closed)

you really think so?
has it ever occurred to you that, since physical punishment was banned in schools, teachers have lost almost all control over their classes? there's always one smart little bastard who will undermine you in front of the whole class and then say "yeah, whatcha gonna do about it? gonna hit me? don't think so!"
i've seen people who don't hit their kids. they've raised spoilt little fuckers who have no concept of punishment following a crime.
i have a nephew who can be very naughty, mainly because my mother screams at my sister if she tries to discipline him. i slapped him on the backside, only once, but now when he comes to stay i am given respect and love in equal measures.
beating a child just for the sake of it is wrong, but for god's sake, there has to be a happy medium.
(LIMES, Fri 2 May 2008, 10:38, closed)

'Twas mentioned a week or so ago
There is a difference between ineffectually cooing "Jocasta, don't" and screaming "Tyson you facking Cahnt" while beating the crap out of them.

I was smacked when I was a child, rarely. We had corporal punishment in schools, and believe me we were incredibly well behaved compared to sprogs today (my Mrs is a teacher, so it's not a Daily Mail inspired POV).

My 4 year old will get a smack on the bum when he does something incredibly fucking dangerous, like the first time he managed to get out of the front door and attempted to play with the traffic. Or when he's intentionally naughty, after several warnings, exclusion, removal of toys etc. And believe me, 4 year old boys do not respond to sweet reason, no matter what the right-on choose to believe, when they are chucking a major wobbly tantrum.

Incidentally, he doesn't get lots of sweeties, chocolate, e-numbers or chips.
(osok Rebel without a clue, Fri 2 May 2008, 10:59, closed)

I think it's about consequences.
Kids frequently aren't able to extrapolate consequences from actions in the same way that adults can, so I'm all for giving them a consequence that's easy to figure out. It's a lot easier to go from "doing X is bad because it gets me spanked" to "doing X is bad because it gets me spanked because I've upset someone" to, hopefully, "doing X is bad because it upsets someone". At least I think that's the way it worked for me as a kid.
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Fri 2 May 2008, 15:12, closed)

(HeadDesk)
You have a two yearold.

Oh gods.

Oh dear gods.
( DukeEuphoria Comes highly reccomended, Fri 2 May 2008, 18:12, closed)

I think
Telling them you're 'not angry, just disappointed' works a treat. And also making thinly veiled references to 'mummy and daddy's marital difficulties' is good for a guilt trip. I mean, no kid wants to know that they've ruined their parents' marriage, do they?

On the other hand, maybe a short sharp rap on the back of the hand never hurt anyone. I was thrashed to (what I thought at the time) was an inch of my life, and it just made me hate my father (for a while) and be scared to stand up for myself without braining my opponent with hard objects (throughout my teenage years)
I reckon somewhere in the region of moderation is fine. Would you have wanted it done to yourself? If yes, go ahead. if no, leave off.
(pacman_40 Pocket Kleenex: for the wanker on the go, Mon 5 May 2008, 10:41, closed)

@ Osok
I agree wholeheartedly with you. My boys are both 10 now and had I not have laid a hand on them at any time they would probably be entirely uncontrollable. As it is they know when they've gone too far and now fortunately I can reason with them (most of the time).
I believe that being able to reason with a child and explain why they shouldn't do something is always the best way. However, small boys (in my experience) don't always have the concentration span or the ability to reason as an adult would.
Rather than giving them a guilt trip or sitting them out on the Naughty Step for hours at a time, often a quick sharp smack on the backside was enough to shock them out of their dangerous behaviour. It also impressed upon them that when I said 'No', I meant No.

As far as hitting a two year old is concerned - no that's not appropriate. Perhaps when you have an uncontrollable five or six year old on your hands you may think differently.

Back before I had mine and I was teaching six year olds I remember being shocked and appalled when a particularly badly behaved boy told me his father sent him to his bedroom or smacked him when he was naughty. I'd never do that, I thought then. Once I'd got my own badly behaved boys I changed my mind.

And children are naturally badly behaved. It's a human trait - we like to push boundaries and see just what we can get away with. My sons are not fed on e-numbers, they do not have televisions in their bedroom, they both play rugby, go mountain biking and climbing - these are not spoilt, over-weight, under-achieving chavs who never go to bed at night and whose parents spend their days in a haze of alcohol and weed.
They do however have a reckless, adventuring streak, constantly try my patience and all in all are the modern day equivalent of Just William. In other words, normal boys.
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Mon 5 May 2008, 21:05, closed)