Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand??

On average, everyone strongly disagrees with nonconsensus between 109 voters.

Reasons To Disagree

Of course it should not. The problem we have is Sue Bradford and her supporters keep refering to bashing children but this was illegal under the old law!

I never have and never will smack my children, but I don't believe there should be a law against it.

It shoudnt be an offence here in N.Z because some people know how far a discipline smack can go and some kids need a little "tap" in the right direction

Don't ask adults - ask the kids. They do actually want to know where the boundaries are. They push their care-givers to find where those limits are. Most kids actually prefer instant discipline rather than protracted hectoring and shaming by time-out. A young child cannot always understand reasoned explanations so will continue to misbehave. A smack is easily understood and gets the desired response. Many parents who disagree rant, rave and grossly verbally abuse their child - is THAT good parenting? No way! That treatment "puts down" and alienates the child making them feel small and not wanted. Perhaps Bradford was grossly abused as a child, I do not know, but the chip on her shoulder suggests to me that, perhaps, she was. TO IGNORE THE RESULT OF THE REFERENDUM IS CRIMINAL - THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN - BADFORD HAS BEEN GIVEN THE MESSAGE - SHE IS WRONG! THE AS LAW UNDERMINES PARENTS ABILITY & CONFIDENCE IN RAISING THEIR CHILDREN PROPERLY. PERHAPS WORST OF ALL - IT UNDERMINES THE CHILD'S CONFIDENCE IN THEIR PARENTS.

This law was cynically promoted as a means of stopping the gross child abuse which continues in this country. As a society we need to address the issue, but this law isn't the way to do it. I'm speaking as one who was physically and emotionally abused as a child.

if ya gotta smack your cild. it's because they have stopped listening to reason.

Smacking should not be a criminal offence but more parents should be educated about other ways to deal with situations and in particular stress so that there is less chance of a smack turning into abuse

I believe a smack should not be a criminal offence. There is a massive difference between a smack to a beating. I was brought up getting a smack and sometimes beating, depending on how naughty I was or what it was I did that was not right. Now at 25 I am greatful for the decipline and stricted up-bring. I respect my mother for the way myself and two other sibblings were thought. One being 3yrs older and the other 1yr younger. There are 7 of us in total now and the younger sibblings have no sense of direction and dont have a clue on how to do anything. Mum was easy on them. Not as harsh as she was with the 3 eldest. We should be able to decipline our kids with a smack, teach them what they have done was not right. Half the reason I disagree with this is because, youth in my area have no respect not only for their own parents but for our community. They were not thought respect. I really believe that the government thought them bad habbits when releasing the smacking law. Children are now saying "you cant hit me, its illegal. Im not gana listern to you". When my kids play up and are uncontrolable (three under age 10yrs). I put them in the car, drive to the nearest police station and take them in saying "I can not control my children and if you dont take them I will smack them". I have used so much energy, money and with the price of petrol...man. It would save alot of hassel if I could smack my kids when they do something that was not right.... Give our rights back as parents to actually be parents!!!!

No. If by a 'smack' you just mean Little Sarah gets a tap on the bum for running across the road.

People should know the difference from a smack from a smash. And if not, then those who are stupid enough to use physical violence should be dealt with.

Consider this example. A child is intent on going to the stove while it is on and touching the elements. Or is approaching a power socket with a butter knife. I think you absolutely should be able to smack them on the hand in that instance and in many others, especially if they are doing something which could potentially cause them harm (a good parent wouldn't smack them in any other situation). That said, physical abuse is a different situation and should be treated as such. Where is the boundary? Isn't why we have agencies like CYFS?

Its stupid to say smacking your own child is a crime... Unless it is abusive until they are bleeding or have broken bones..

It is too late now to change it back, you don't see the headmaster of schools bring back the cane now days.

Smacking? No.. Bashing to the point that kids start getting bruises? Yes.

I think most can work out what is reasonable from unreasonable in a smack, 93% said no any way.

I got smack on the behind when i was kid even had i size 12 boot i dont hate my parents for dicplinary actions they took i was a little raskil

I think its totally appropriate to be able to smack your kid if they're misbehaving, of course, if you warn them before and don't overdo it. It's painful, so it makes them feel punished, and will work just like the cane did back in the '60s. And not punishing your kids for bad things is what leads kids into crime, thinking they can get away from whatever they do with minor consequences. If you teach them from an early age that their actions are bad (words usually dont get into their heads so a smack will actually get them to understand) then I bet you the crime rate in NZ will drop by a lot by the time todays kids are in their late teens or 20s

Reasons To Agree

yup. i was smacked as a kid. those memories will never leave me. it was hell and just drove me the wrong way. it made me scared of talking about things to my parents and i went and did drugs and a lot worse things that i never expected because they made me so angry. you may mean a light smack?....well some people never know when to stop.

Is it a crime to "smack" an adult who does not listen to you??

I think that all violence being outlawed is good, even though a smack may not be particually harmful physically it could be psychologically. Their are much better parenting methods.

I agree definitely, because all 'smacks' are different and parents can be under investigations if they are too often.