As I try to avoid any stereotypes, I report that a recent study concluded that one third of Irish parents would like the right to smack their kids around.The government has been trying to ban corporal punishment for a while, which would probably be like banning excessive alcohol consumption. (Note: I would have written that part even if it weren't about Ireland. Probably.)
My brother and I were hit when we were kids, and when Mom would threaten to smash our heads together or put us through a wall, we truly believed that those things could happen. (Fortunately, they didn't.)
Despite the occasional tight wrist-grab-in-anger, I haven't had any inclination to smack or slap or spank the kids. To be honest, a large factor, besides the big-person-beating-on-a-little-person thing, is the fact that hurting the kids really would make the short-term situation worse than it already it. "I'll give you a reason to cry," is a phrase I heard often, and it really didn't make much sense then, even though the idea floats into my head during some of the more recent whiny moments.
Because, let's not forget the wisdom of children, also in evidence in the poll "Children respondents believe that smacking stopped bad or dangerous behaviour but had no long term positive effects."
No kidding.
