The question about smacking children has raised its head again recently as The Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP) have put forward a motion to the TUC Congress calling for the banning of corporal punishment ‘in all settings’.

They argue that physical punishment can have long-term negative effects on a child’s development and is an ineffective form of discipline.

Current legislation allows for parents to use ‘reasonable punishment’ which includes smacking within the home as long as it doesn’t result in injury to the person being punished (visible bruises, grazes, scratches, swelling or cuts). Since these rules were implemented in 2004, numerous reviews of the laws have been made but so far, no changes have occurred.

Consequences of Smacking

Unfortunately, there is no definitive proof that smacking children leads to long term negative effects in children. Much of the articles written regarding the matter are based on studies where a link can be found, but no solid connection can be made. Therefore, much of the arguments being put forward by psychologists, teachers and parents is merely opinion. Whilst there is no doubt that the psychological experts probably have a good idea what the long-term effects of smacking a child could be, it appears that each case is unique as all children behave and respond differently to each other.

The other issue with the smacking debate is that there are conflicting reports/research papers that state smacking as both beneficial and detrimental to children.

In 1997, Marjorie Gunnoe, professor of psychology at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan conducted research on 179 teenagers about how often they were smacked as children. The results showed that children smacked up to the age of six did better at school and were more optimistic about their lives than those that didn’t. They were also more likely to undertake voluntary work and keener to attend university. Once they moved beyond this age range, the results started to line up a little bit more with the general consensus. Children aged seven to eleven who were smacked still fared well in terms of scholastic success, however they also appeared to get into more fights than those that didn’t. Those who were smacked beyond the age of eleven seemed to fare poorly across the board.

By contrast, in 2017 a study was carried out by researchers from the University of Manitoba, the University of Michigan, the University of Texas, and the Centres for Disease Control in the US. The researchers found people who said they’d been smacked as children were more likely to report having problems like symptoms of depression, drinking moderate or heavy amounts of alcohol, and taking drugs. But because of the nature of this study, a cause and effect relationship hasn’t been proven, no matter how plausible the link might seem.

The research is inconclusive…. But we know better

By ‘we’, I mean the public by and large. Recent research has shown that the physical correction of children is in decline in almost every Western country. Parents have been exploring alternatives to smacking their children for quite some time and some of the popular ones include:

Time Out – removing a child from a situation in which they are instigating inappropriate behaviour for a certain amount of time. Often an explanation and/or apology is required before a Time Out can end.

The Naughty Step – requiring a child to sit on a particular step (or rug, or mat, etc.) while they reflect on their inappropriate behaviour. Again, an explanation and/or apology are often required before the child is allowed off the Naughty Step.

Grounding – prohibiting a child from attending social events or from engaging in particular activities. This technique may also incorporate tasks or chores which must be carried out instead and are designed to teach children appropriate behaviour.

Taking Away Privileges – prohibiting a child from taking advantage of certain privileges (usually those that they have earlier abused with inappropriate behaviour). Privileges are usually restored when a child can prove, through his/her behaviour, that (s)he understands and appreciates them.

So, can we smack children?

As it stands, it is still legal to smack your child as a form of discipline, as long as they don’t receive any physical injury. Many people I have spoken to over the years have said that they were smacked as children and they’ve grown up fine, which is an understandable reason for people to continue with that method of discipline. On a personal note, I too agree that smacking never taught me to be violent or exert physical pain to people who annoy me or aren’t doing as I want. It taught me to respect my elders and others, it taught me about actions and consequences and perhaps, because I came from a loving home, it never led into realms of depression, heavy drinking or drug dependency.

But as I stated earlier, each child is different. What may work for one child might not work for another and eventually, the only option left is a quick smack on the bum. Overall, if a parent relies on smacking in the first instance, then the likelihood is that it would be detrimental to the child’s wellbeing as they would feel they get a beating for everything they do, however as a last resort, it would be understandable for a parent to use smacking to discipline their child.

*Please note that Ambipro neither condones nor disapproves of smacking children and believes the decision belongs to the parent and the parent alone.