Smacking children

[chaggle]

Subject has just been on The Big Questions (which I had to turn off as it turned into a shouting match).

Campbell asked the smacking advocates at one point what was acceptable when it came to smacking in terms of degree and so on.

One chap said - oh that's well established - no head hits, no bruising etc. etc.

It reminded me of a cleric some time ago who had developed a list of ways in which it was acceptable to administer physical discipline to your wife.

[Tony.Williams]

It reminded me of a cleric some time ago who had developed a list of ways in which it was acceptable to administer physical discipline to your wife.

As I recall, they're quite keen on that sort of thing in Muslim countries.

[chaggle]

Quite.

Some of the proponents' view was that it was nothing to do with anyone but the parents - that government and the law should stay away and let parents be parents - it is meddling in things that didn't concern them and that parents should be trusted to do the right thing.

I've heard that argument before WRT vaccination and other healthcare issues. It goes nowhere with me.

[Tony.Williams]

I take the view that consenting adults should be able to do almost anything they please to each other, but when this involves actually or potentially harming someone else (such as avoiding vaccination programmes), the needs of society should take precedence.