Hey parents, damnit start beating your kids already.
When I was little I was smacked when I crossed the line. Over time I learnt what that line was avoided it.
The theory behind the smack is relatively simple yet somehow it’s metamorphed into this sticky debate over child abuse, children’s rights and the softly softly approach.
One academic (who probably doesn’t have kids) even came out today and declared that smacking your kids makes them stupid.
Research revealed it can also lower a child’s IQ, with those smacked up to three times a week having a lower IQ due to psychological stress.
US-based sociologist Professor Murray Straus, who studied the impact of smacking for 40 years, likened the effects of corporal punishment to post-traumatic stress, affecting a child’s mental development
Three times a week? What the hell are you doing the rest of time that you need to smack your kids three times a week?
For us smacking was rare but the message still got across. Three times a week or more? Well of course your child is going to grow up retarded – it’s got nothing to do with post-traumatic stress or some other flavour of the month “illness”.
At three times a week or more YOUR KID IS A FREAKING PUNCHING BAG!
Personally I’m not convinced that smacking has any correlation to a childs IQ. I find it much more believable that there are just stupid kids in the world, much like adults. I mean think about it, if your kid is running around worried about being smacked, clearly they’re not misbehaving and therefore wouldn’t be getting smacked.
To claim kids that are out of control enough to warrant frequent smacking are worried about being punished is a paradox.
The exception to this is of course the parents that do use their kids as punching bags. Whether you support the softly softly approach or some firm discipline I think it’s safe to say both sides agree on sending child abusers to jail.
While not an advocate of smacking, Sydney psychologist Dr Judith Kennedy said parents who gave an occasional tap on the bottom should not fear damaging their child.
“But a child who is suppressed through physical punishment regularly is going to behave differently,” Dr Kennedy said.
Want to know just how differently?
In Muswellbrook (central NSW) children as young as 9 rampage through the streets in broad daylight smashing windows, swearing at shop owners and staging daylight robbery.
This 10-year-old allegedly used a replica pistol to hold up a video store as his 14-year-old accomplice waited outside – their getaway car a scooter.
The boy allegedly threatened to kill the store clerk, 18, if she told anyone.
I can guarantee you this kid has never been smacked in his life.
So, after holding up a store at (toy) gunpoint, what was this kids punishment?
After allegedly making off with a small amount of cash, the boy was caught on a security camera in a shop just 200m away, calmly buying groceries with the money he had stolen.
He and his alleged accomplice were questioned by police, but were released “pending further inquiries”.
Video footage, caught in the act spending the stolen money and they are then released pending further enquires?! Why weren’t they dragged off and the parents interrogated? And what the hell further enquiries did the police have to do – YOU CAUGHT THEM RED HANDED GUYS!
Are the police in Muswellbrook that worried that if they don’t release the kids so that they can just catch them again the next day they’ll be out of a job?
“It’s unbelievable how young these kids are,” Mr Smith said. “I mean, their getaway vehicle was a scooter.” The couple, who also own a nearby newsagency, have been broken into twice in a month and store windows were often smashed.
Gangs of up to 10 children, usually under the age of 16, caused trouble most days.
Clearly none of the parents in this town have ever raised a hand to their children. Fair enough I’m a guy but if a 10 year old dared try and hold me up, toy gun or otherwise I think I’d probably be more at risk of dying of laughter.
Going by the police and parental inaction towards these ratbags I sense that everybody’s hoping that once they turn eighteen they’ll just magically turn into model citizens.
Not going to happen people. Want to know what happens when undisciplined little shits get older?
A 15-YEAR-old boy has been rushed to hospital with a stab wound in the chest after a brawl involving 200 youths in Melbourne’s west.
The clash – mainly involving Asian and Pacific Islander youths, some armed with knives and umbrellas – erupted about 4.15pm (AEST) in a car park at Highpoint, Maribyrnong.
That.
Although islander parents are stereotypically known to heavy with the physical violence clearly even they have gotten lazy. Mind you I feel much more sympathetic towards the parents of these kids, it’s one thing to physically discipline some ten year old country rat then an islander teenager who could crush you with his belly rolls.
As for the asians… you guys really need to get over people sleeping with your women. Seriously, we can’t keep having brawls in Melbourne everytime a non-asian guy sleeps with an asian girl.
I do find it somewhat adorable though that islanders brought umbrellas to fight the asian’s machetes. At least they didn’t get wet.
Getting back on topic if you don’t instill some sense of discipline at a young age your kids soon start running riot in public and before you know it it’s kiddie gang warfare on the streets.
Meanwhile the rest of us have to put up with this stupid shit all because you forgot about the ‘raising your kids’ clause in the baby bonus contract.
It’s time to start beating your kids parents, enough is enough. Time out, ‘if you do that ONE more time no red cordial for you’ hollow threats, confiscating video games, making them eat vegetarian food, having a ‘talk’ with them and other nonsensical hippie parenting garbage does not work!
If I see one more parent lash out with a hollow threat that goes nowhere the next time a child misbehaves I’m going to walk up and slap it across the backside myself.
You can thank me for saving your kid from jail later, (preferably by paying my bail after the police cart me away).
Related posts that might interest you:


September 26th, 2009 at 12:59 pm Elle(Quote)
Is smacking little kids illegal in Aust?
It’s illegal in NZ..made illegal last year..however this year we’ve just wasted $9 million of tax payer’s money for a referendum of the bill which the Government won’t even look at.
Total waste of money.
I got smacked all the time as a kid and am gonna smack my future kids as well.
September 26th, 2009 at 5:47 pm ozsoapbox(Quote)
I’m pretty sure it isn’t. There is a lot of talk about children’s right and everything though, subsequently most dropkick parents try to pass off a lack of discipline as protecting their childs rights when in reality it’s just straight up laziness.
How do they police it? If your kid calls up the cops and says you hit them off to jail (or off to Toys’r'us to buy the latest xbox game so your kids don’t call the cops?
Damn straight. Smack smack smack and we’ll talk about what you did wrong later.
September 26th, 2009 at 8:30 pm Elle(Quote)
urmm..the policing of it is a bit hard…the anti-smacking bill was passed in an effort to keep child abuse at bay. except it did everything but that.
Just google ex-New Zealand Green MP Sue Bradford and you can read about the anti-smacking legislations.
A farther was carted off to court for cuffing his kid’s ear who was misbehaving.
September 26th, 2009 at 11:08 pm ozsoapbox(Quote)
How did the court case go?
My kids ever get me taken to court over disccipline and they become dead to me.
September 28th, 2009 at 7:44 am Daniel(Quote)
OK, I’ll bite. I’m a parent.
I’ve seen good parenting, and bad parenting. Good (or bad) discipline is not related to smacking, and I’ll bet plenty of the feral kids you see around the place do get smacked.
No, IMHO the number 1 parenting sin is empty threats. Kid misbehaves, parent threatens [whatever] but doesn’t follow through. Kid learns they can do it again and get away with it. Rinse and repeat. That’s the real problem.
September 28th, 2009 at 9:53 am ozsoapbox(Quote)
Whilst I do agree that empty threats are a big problem, I look at it as most of the empty threats I hear are violence related.
‘ey stop eating those chips we haven’t paid for them yet or you’ll get a smack!’
If they followed through their kids might learn something.
Does anyone really think all kids are going to care if you ‘turn the car around’ or ‘confiscate something’? Some kids just don’t get it.
Then if they don’t receive discipline they pass on their out of controlness to other kids and you wind up with a mob of them at the local shops running riot.
September 29th, 2009 at 7:46 am Citizen-D(Quote)
The reason our (gen X and older) parents’ verbal threats were effective was because we knew it was backed up by genuine intent. I was smacked as a kid and have no problem with it – hell, there were times when I literally couldn’t sit down my arse was that sore afterwards. Later my parents would check I was OK and reinforce the broken rule and why I copped it. These days you just have to tune in to those pathetic “My Kid Is A Shit” reality shows to watch the parents whine and pussy foot around a kid that is out of control to know where the problem is. Sure, these are used and manipulated to fit the TV show but a look closer to home in ones own community shows that it holds some truths.
October 29th, 2009 at 12:53 pm Kim(Quote)
I totally agree! I don’t believe in abuse but a smack is fine! I was smacked and I deserved it! Even as a child I knew that it was justified and I had the upmost respect of my parents! I have three children and am not a violent child abuser! Oh well! I feel sorry for kids today because it is the adults that have spoilt their childhoods by giving them power and the ability to make decisions for themselves which they are not able or should be able to make. My youngest son come home from school one day and told me that he had rights and went on to tell me what I could and couldnt do! I listened to him and them calmly explained to him that I was more than willing to go straight to the police station where I would show him what I could or couldnt do!! Kids should be kids, and we should be their carers and decision makers so they can just enjoy being kids!
November 4th, 2009 at 10:28 pm nan(Quote)
I also agree no abuse,but a smack is sometimes needed,like kim, I also was smacked as a child and i turned out just fine respect my parents still,I am a Mother of 3 adult children and a nan of 6 now,my children were raised with a smack,they respect me and my husband still,They all turned out just fine no drugs bullying or crime nothiing, now they own their homes and have there children,and my grandchildren are raised with a smack,there is a big difference to a smack on the hand or bottom to being just like totally beaten now that is abuse.
Hello look at most school children today,sorry but im old school, we were all brought up to respect,we had caning in schools the kids from our day are a lot different from todays kids,no respect Im afraid.I heard a 6 yr old say to her mother in the shop you dont own me your not my boss I can divorce you,uhm excuse me if that was me I would I give the child a good firm smack & a lecture
The scary thing one of these children will rule our country.YAKES.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:53 pm ozsoapbox(Quote)
Not only that, one day they’ll have kids of their own. If we’re slowly degenrating into absolute freedom for children I don’t like the road ahead, let me off please!
April 1st, 2010 at 7:39 am Belinda Roulston(Quote)
I smack my kids not beat them to a pulp. Usually my stern words are enough.
There is a big difference between giving your child a smack on the rump to give them a wake up call, and slapping them round till they are black and blue. The cruel words and put downs (you stupid child, you are so dumb, ect,) are unnecssary. A firm stop what you are doing now or face the conseqences is enough to my kids attention.
My kids have a healthy respect for both parents, because they know what is acceptable behaviour and whats not.
We have made mistakes and changed our way with displaining them if something is not working. But if our requests fall on deaf ears there is always a way to get their attention.
I am a parent who does not want to bring another brat into this world and let them loose into the community as disrespecful little shits who think they are immortle and no one can touch them!
Think again boys if you think mum is going to tread lightly if you come home accompianed by the police at age 15 or younger, because you are out terrorising innocent people or you have beaten someone because they pissed you off.
My boys will not be left roaming the streets at their free will, unknown to me or their father where they are, what they are doing, or who they are with.
We do not smoke, drink – drive, beat each other up on a weekly basis or go round swearing at everyone because they pissed us off.
Dad works hard long hours, mum is a stay at home mum but most important we are parents because we want to be and take the responibilty seriously.
I agree Aussie parents are way too soft on their kids and a good sharp slap will not hurt them, stun them but not hurt them. I believe they will think twice about doing the same thing again, if the stern words are in the context of you behave like that again and it will be more then my hand on your backside next time.
Has not hurt either boys and they know better then to threaten us with charging us with abuse, as it’s their attention we are tring to get and have them understand why their behaviour warrented the smack in the first place.
They will grow up better people for it i am sure. The love, affection, and attention they get from both mum and dad are enough to appriciate they are very special little people.
While we will not take our roles as parents for granted, we will also not take our expectation for our children to be law abiding and responsible adults for granted either. Hope fully they will install in their own children one day the things we have taught them.
How many children have actully got respect for their parents? Very little i would think.
April 1st, 2010 at 8:01 am Belinda Roulston(Quote)
Adding to my precious comment….
Out kids do have video games, watch a little too much tv / dvd’s, and get given quite a bit.
The 8y.o attends cubs and Ten pin bowling once a week. Not over scheduled.
The 5y.o attends kinder 3 days a week and although he’s not got a hobbie outside of home yet he loves kicking a ball and playing with dirt and being a typical boy.
They spend time with both parents and they are more then happy if this means just sitting round home playing their ds’s and mum and dad are on the computer.
Hell we brought a ds too so we can play mulity player games with them. They get immense enjoyment out of playing againmst us and beating us 90% of the time.
What’s wrong with mum and dad showing the child in themselves at times. We are forming a bond with them they will hold onto forever.
Kids want displaine, love, respect, but mostly they want our time! You give them that while they are young, they will usually grow up with the respect and love you want from them.
April 1st, 2010 at 2:57 pm ozsoapbox(Quote)
I can’t tell you how much of a smile your comments brought to my face Belinda. You seem to have completely nailed what parenting should be all about.
Your life as a parent sounds fulfilling to say the least, keep up the good work and I wish you and your boys all the best. I’m sure they’ll grow up into fine young men.
April 1st, 2010 at 4:53 pm Belinda Roulston(Quote)
Thank You and I hope that my comment will make others rethink the way parents talk to their kids and i’d like to think it my comment could be life changing to lots of parents out there but even if you are the only one that agrees i feel good about that.
March 9th, 2011 at 8:17 am Youa Trolla(Quote)
ozsoapbox, I love your work. Here’s a backhand to your child for your trouble