[Jack_]

Niamh is right. As am I. It isn't an opinion, it's a fact.

Originally Posted by Niamh.

A "gentle" smack? Again........for it to have any kind of effective on the child it has to hurt them.

Exactly. Thread effectively over.

If it doesn't at least hurt then it's not effective, and how anyone could justify hurting anyone, let alone a child is just beyond me. It's not possible to. It's wrong and that's the end of it. And not only is it hurting them, but it's also quite physically threatening and intimidating. Sounds quite an odd concept to me and despite not being a parent myself, and at times finding some screaming children very irritating, never could I imagine myself or even want to lay a finger on a child, or even think about it.

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Anyone who can't handle a 4-6 year old without having to resort to violence against them -and they're still babies in my eyes- needs help themselves imo

Well I don't think this happens often Niamh - but again I agree with you. I think anyone that condones violence, or indeed any kind of physical abuse (unless used in self defence) has something wrong with them and needs help, there's no excuses for it whatsoever and as I've said time and time again, as a society we need to try and get to a stage where it's eradicated, and by effectively promoting such action, that isn't going to happen.

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

I was taught in school with the leather strap being a deterrent, not a cane. I still don't regard that as barbaric. It stopped a lot of the nonsense and misbehaviour.

There's only so much detention can do.

And why doesn't this surprise me?

Niamh's right, I couldn't see you defending someone slapping an elderly or disabled person, so what makes it alright when it's a child? I remember though you condoned the actions of that man who used physical force to throw the much younger and smaller built man off of a train, yet when I asked you if he'd thrown off a woman or an elderly person, or indeed both, you didn't seem so accepting then, or you may have again simply refused to acknowledge the question. That speaks volumes if you ask me.

Either you have quite a strong dislike for children...or, you quite like the idea of a physical force and violence.