The Energon Pub

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1022100

So the NZL govt. is debating whether or not to ban smacking, and it's turning into one great big debacel. Law experts have said that just picking upa child and placing them on a time out mat will class as "smacking" under this new bill. (Which is the biggest pile of **** since laxatives were invented).

The other issue on this matter is that the Labour party are voting as a block, meaning that every MP in Labour has to toe the party line or else, so no conscience vote for them.

Essentitally, the govt is wanting to go into people's homes and tell them how to raise their kids, and god help you if you dont' listen. Now while I don't support beating the crap out of junior with a 2 by 4, I don't support prosecuting parents who give the kid a light smack. I was smacked and I"m not some homicidal maniac.

This appears to be a knee jerk reaction to an internation report that painted NZL's treatment of children and abuse rates as rather dismal, is treating good parents like criminals really going to stop drunken bastards taking the bat to their kids? I don't think so. It's like microchipping dogs, if your dog is a crazy mofo you're not going to get it chiped are you? And if you're a irresponsible wanker you're not going pay that ammount of cash for a piece of plastic to be injected into your mutt.

However, at the moment many shenanigans are taking place, there is huge public opposition to this, politiacans from other parties are getting annoyed and ammendements have been tabled that might hold it up long enough that the MPs voting for it might change their minds and not.

I was never smacked and I'm no homicidal maniac, either, but this seems to be a bit much. Not that I'm any expert on raising children, tho'... It's entirely possible that it could be argued that those who feel the need for physical punishment possess sub-par parenting skills. And then, it's equally possible that would be a terribly bad argument that is completely ignoring reality.

So, yeah. Still, a law like that appears to be somewhat over the top.

Poohy Ol' Negare wrote:Law experts have said that just picking upa child and placing them on a time out mat will class as "smacking" under this new bill.

Wha?!

How is placing a child in a 'fun free zone' for a time to cool them off when they've been naughty the same as physically hitting them?

I'm not a parent so I'm not qualified to comment on the whole smacking issue. I believe each child needs to be responded to as a unique individual with respect to that childs mentality/needs/what have you. But like I say, I'm not a parent.

Smacking should be used as a last resort, and it shouldn't be more than a maxium of 10 whacks.

Then after you smacked your kids you should give the reason why they were smacked and told that the behavior that caused them to get smacked will not be tolerated.

I enjoy a good "smacking"

Cyberstrike wrote:Smacking should be used as a last resort, and it shouldn't be more than a maxium of 10 whacks.

Then after you smacked your kids you should give the reason why they were smacked and told that the behavior that caused them to get smacked will not be tolerated.

I agree with the second part, that the child should be told why they got smacked. But the first part seems excessive.
My mother had a motto that makes alot of sense to me. The first smack is for the child's behavior. The rest are for your anger, so be the bigger person that you are and stick to the one smack they deserve.