By Raisingkids' CEO and child psychologist
Dr Pat Spungin

Dr Spungin shares her thoughts and explains why she is opposed to smacking.

'Teaching your children discipline is important and how you go about this is fundamental to their healthy development. However, I think it's a waste of time and effort to involve the police. How are they going to decide when to act?

If your eight-yr old walks into the local police station and says that he has been smacked will the local bobby be around to investigate? If anyone beats their child and causes them bodily harm, there are already laws in place to prevent this.

Instead of legislation, I believe we need a public education programme that discourages parents from hitting their children. For example, I would like to see big posters up in supermarkets saying 'This is a no smacking zone'.

Over and over again, research shows that children subject to aggressive discipline become aggressive themselves. If you smack a child, you hurt and humiliate him.

The reaction of a child when hit, is to feel anger at the person doing the hitting and sorry for himself. He is not thinking about what he has done wrong, nor is he feeling any remorse. This means that next time, he will be careful not to get found out and not to think about and change his behaviour.' more...