I always promised myself that I would never smack my children, but lately they've been so frustrating and naughty that I'm about to snap! Does smacking work?

i have smacked my kids when they were younger a little one on the hand ,i dont think this bad but i do think that your putting across the message that its o.k to smack people and you may find your child starts to smack you or playmates .my older 2 children are 7 and 4 and i dont see any reason to smack them as they are older and understand more so other things can be used ,although they are very good and dont really need it normally a stern voice works.my youngest is 1 and already i get the feeling he gonna be a little monkey so i may come back and ask what u did and if it worked lol.good luck they do like test you dont they.but its your choice you are there mum and its what you feel is right .there is so much about not smacking your kids that its no wonder kids are getting worse.i used to get a slipper never did me any harm,god how things change.

I know its hard...but you really I think people shouldnt take to smacking. Try Jo Frost Naughty Step method and REALLY stick to it, it will work fair better in the long run and wont subject your child to smacking.

think this is an individual choice.i just felt that smacking my daughter was doing no good at all. she'd just scream at me and hit me back(suppose if i can do it why cant she??). i've found it far better 2(try 2) stay calm, tell her why i'm cross and to totally ignore her if she gets that bad. i find she REALLY hates being ignored and she comes sobbing, saying sorry, she'll never etc,etc. my son, however hmmm.....no idea what i'm gonna do wi him. bad wee tyke lol(shes 4, hes 17 mnths btw

Just occasionally i have had to smack my children but not hard and only when it has been very necessary. My 3 year old only has to be threated with a smack and now he will say no he doesnt want one and stops being naughty i have to say it has worked for me, and they never smack me back and they never smack back. Smacking is a funny one and many people have differant opinions on it. There is smacking and there is smacking, if you know what i mean. hope that is a little help.
Jan. x

Hi, my husband smacks our little boy (he's almost 2)- not a proper smack just taps his hand when hes done wrong but I refuse to, I wish he wouldn't either. I think all it does is to teach them to smack you, he smacks my husband so my husband smacks him back which I think just reinforces it. I have always been the soft one and my husband a bit harsher and my son doesn't really behave any better or worse for either of us, I try to explain things to him and keep calm and this may or may not be the best way but I must say if he is having a tantrum he certainly gives in quicker to me just ignoring him than to my husband telling him off, In general I think he is calmer around me than round my husband. If I get really annoyed I put my son in his playpen or cot, somewhere safe, and just go and sit in the kitchen for 5 mins til I'm calm rather than let him see I'm annoyed.
Good luck