^^^ Sorry NotWal, your experience is contrary to mine. Well, I am not claiming that ALL kids who are spared a smack become evil doers............. I am just saying that in general terms, corporal punishment performed fairly, creates more well rounded behaving individuals in GENERAL.
Contrast the loony leftist social engineer: if you smack your kids they then normalise violence and become violent themselves.
WTF!!??????
If someone is doing something that is anoying you or you deem as wrong you hit them. Not really how we should teach our kids to deal with things in life.
I think it is just an excuse for frustrated parents, who lack good comunication(parenting skills) to expell their own anger by hitting.
You just have to look at schools.
Since corporal punishment was removed the kids do and say what they want...
Respect to elders is zero..
The threat of a smack from parents is only worth something if a good smack has been handed out previously.
I tell you now I would much rather smack my kids than have to visit them in hospital for being run over by a car or something.
A smack in front of their friends even better. Embarrassment is a great tool for instilling discipline.
I have 3 daughters 17, 13 and 7. I cant remember the last time I have had to smack them...I think for each of them it was when they were quite young (2-4). I always did the count to 10 internally first to calm myself and then the hold out your hand approach rather than on the bum.
Then as they grow up withholding of priviledges seems to work better...also reward when they are doing the correct thing without being asked...the biggest issue I have is keeping their rooms clean...so if it gets out of hand then they know there are consequences.
My kids grew up alongside our friends who took the "lassaiz faire" approach to parenting and deemed that discipline was wrong....And for some of the kids it worked..i.e they are well behaved and grew up as responsible teenagers..then the other half grew up and still are "**s".
I guess there is no single way to parent a child...You have to see what works best. I dont believe the government or those lefty wankers have any part in telling me or anyone else how we should be disciplining our children unless it crosses the boundaries into Child abuse.
I would like to see society take a more proactive role tho in the "social welfare" side of things as from what I see we are breeding whole generations of people who are brought up thinking welfare is an entitlement for them and it should pay for alcohol, cigarettes, drugs etc...but I guess that is another topic.
I have smacked my kids, but very rarely & only 2 of the 3...my oldest son is 9 & he's never been smacked as we only ever had to voice our slightest disappointment & he'd turn into an apologetic mess, so we had to be careful with any discipline. My 2 daughters (7 & 2) have rarely seen a smack. I'm not against anyone smacking their kids 'correctly' as opposed to violent hitting, as I think there are a few kids out there who need it - this is mainly due to the parents not being pro-active when the kids were younger & disciplining them correctly.
Rather than 'smacking' the kids, a threat of a smack generally works - and when that won't work, the old 1....2...."IF I HAVE TO COUNT TO 3!" does. For the 2 older kids, a simple threat to withhold privileges works every time...still on the 1,2,& with the youngest atm.
No offence intended, Just sayin' 
EDIT:
I would also suggest that if you dont want to hear the answer dont ask the question.
Select to expand quote
It is the same as training a dog, a balance of treats and escalating punishment, with the added dimension that kids are smarter than dogs.
The latter is why smacking is essential - if you are weak as p!ss they will see it and exploit it.
So you give your kid a smack because he's been caught stealing.
Then he steals again because there's some underlying issue that hasn't been resolved.
So do you
a. beat him harder
b. find some other method of dealing with the problem
pmsl...sometimes I wish my kids wore remote controlled electric collars..
That would fix em..
I'm not gonna say a smack is never neccesary but it is for extreme cases only IMO.
Haven't smacked my son for about 4 years (he's nearly 10).
Last time I did, sure he was being naughty and really pushing my buttons but it was more about my lack of patience and being worn out at the time.
Yes, he did ask for it (he tried to get pushy shovey with me) but my reaction was OTT (in hindsight).
Smacked his hand (that he tried to punch me with) real hard! Felt pretty bad about it, Haven't raised my hand since. Haven't needed to as have found thinking it through (and a few deep breaths) a better practice.
It;s too easy to smack and teaches your kids vthe wrong message IMO, especially if used regularly.
Just my 2c - feel free to beat your kids if you think that is the best message to instill.
I never smacked my son much, little sod could always run faster than me 
Brodie isnt that little anymore- taller than his mum, not much to go before he is taller than me, and I am pretty sure he can hit harder than me too...............
all joking aside- I think he only ever got one smack as a punishment, he might push his luck every now and then- but is pretty good at knowing the limits.
stephen
