The Christian Smacking Manual!!

**Karma** · 19th July 2006, 20:05

Originally Posted by Colapop

That's real cool that you had the fortune to be brought up that way Weasel but alot of us weren't. No excuses but it's pretty difficult to find solutions for displine when you've never known any other way.

"My dad hit me so I'll hit my kids"

Sorry mate, doesn't fly.

End of the day, the way you look after your family is your own business, but I know that when I have kids I'd prefer them to respect me through the education I'll give them, rather than fear that I might take out the stick.

**Grahameeboy** · 19th July 2006, 20:08

Anyway, I will be accused of being off topic

I guess you have to wonder who really are authentic Christians when they say stuff via the media...I never bible bash others, it is for others to see how I am and to decide for themselves and the only preaching in my family is done in the Church.

**Ozzie** · 19th July 2006, 20:08

Let me start by saying, I am not advocating child abuse.....BUT......

Tell me, what is the difference between hitting inappropriatly, and screaming the house down at a kid?

I have seen both extremes, and neither is pretty!

IMHO, where we went wrong was going politically correct. Stop hitting, rip shreds off your kids instead? WTF? This is why no prick these days respect the cops, the law, or their parents. Not good enough.

My kids have been smacked, twice, once, and three times (respectively), each time was to warn them (so to speak) of danger, you say no, no, no, when they fiddle with a power point, a quick smack on the hand shows them it is serious, and so are you, especially when smacking and shouting is NOT the norm for them.

**Colapop** · 19th July 2006, 20:13

Originally Posted by Weasel

"My dad hit me so I'll hit my kids"....

Nah mate not at all. I'm saying that I don't hit my kids like that. I did smack them when they were very young (up to 2 or 3) but not since. It's unfair to say my kids fear me - they do understand the difference between right and wrong though.

**Karma** · 19th July 2006, 20:18

Originally Posted by Colapop

Nah mate not at all. I'm saying that I don't hit my kids like that. I did smack them when they were very young (up to 2 or 3) but not since. It's unfair to say my kids fear me - they do understand the difference between right and wrong though.

Cool cool...

I'm just a passive kinda guy, I'll avoid violence at all costs.

But from what I read of you I'm sure your kids are well rounded.

**Colapop** · 19th July 2006, 20:29

Yeah the fat buggers!! My boy is in the 1st 15 at Wellington College (he's 15) another over 6' prop and 115kg's - he scares even me!! To see him play makes me fear for the opposition but he's never smacked no-one...!! I think he's going to be one of those missionary thingys when he grows up. And my girl is a singer (at 11) . So yeah they're pretty cool. (wish I was like them)

**Mental Trousers** · 19th July 2006, 20:37

Originally Posted by Weasel

I've never had kids, and was never smacked as a child, but if the only way you can control your children is by physical punishment, then you havn't tried hard enough.

Why would it be the only way?? Treating corporal punishment as the last resort emphasizes that what the child has done is REALLY bad, far worse than go to your room (and play ps2 or chat on the internet) etc. Other sorts of punishment like being grounded lose effectiveness if the term is too long. Being grounded for a month might as well be forever to a child and if you're grounded forever whats the point of behaving??

Most people who are anti smacking argue like people use it as the only disciplinary method. There are some who are like that, but they're the exception rather than the rule.

**ogr1** · 19th July 2006, 21:01

It pays to get down to their level and make them understand what you wan't from them behaviour wise.
The rewards are far greater than a back hander anyday.
I can take my 4 year old anywhere and he don't play up, compared to other kids I see screaming and kicking off, makes me wan't to slap the parents.
Their just kids at the end of the day and if the parents don't guide em through life, then it's both parties who will suffer as they mature.

IMHO, some ars'oles should be de-bollocked at puberty, so they can't contaminate the rest of the world.

**James Deuce** · 19th July 2006, 21:19

Weasel - you've no kids, so respectfully, you are clueless. You'll argue the point. People who don't have to look after kids 24x7 always do. Until you have that responsibility you aren't equipped to comment. Looking after siblings and other family members, occasionally or even frequently, isn't a reasonable facsimile either. I used to think I'd do my best to be the perfect parent too, but there's no such thing. People aren't perfect. They're less perfect when they've had 6 hours sleep in a week and a toddler lets the handbrake off in the car and wrecks the fence. Or when you're commuting to work from hospital for a week on even less sleep after watching one of your own kids struggle to stay alive all night, every night for that week.

The world isn't black and white and neither is parenting.

We've done the "everyone who doesn't parent like me is a bad parent" to death guys and girls. No one is going to agree with anyone else, except in broad general brush strokes. Generalisations lead to angry discussions based on false assumptions. Asking someone for parenting advice is a constructive way of improving your own skills. Being lectured at by violent Christians or liberal do-gooders is definitely a turn off.

Can we get back to the point now? Where's my manual on how to smack Christians then?