[Doug]

The first step on this road is to separate the difference between smacking, discipline and child abuse. The three should be tagged together the way they have been. Anybody over a certain age knows the difference. I was never abused by my parents or my teachers but I knew how much a slap, slipper or cane hurt, I’m all for the right to chastise my children should it be needed, my son is 13 and he’s not had a smack for five years if he does wrong now he gets told off and something will be taken away from him until he understands the consequences of his actions. If I had to hit him I would.

Discipline can be taught in many ways, the difference today is that kids know the law is on their side and they have no fear of anyone. Maybe it’s time we stood up to the ******* idiots who continue to preach all this crap about the rights of children. When I was growing up you didn’t have rights until you where an adult (18 or 21) or you had earned them through work or war...