Parents should be able to hit their children with an open hand when they have done something wrong?

On average, everyone agrees with significant nonconsensus between 95 voters.

Reasons To Disagree

The use of violence against children to discipline and correct behaviour no matter how slight simply reinforces that violence to solve problems is acceptable. Look throughout the World today and see how this presumption is applied. Although a non-violent World is an ideal but unattainable place, would it not be nice to at least move towards such a ideal even if by only small steps

There should never again be a "rule of thumb" in law. Law should never state what is exceptable violence over a child. (Rule of thumb means a man may beat his wife with a stick no bigger than the width of his thumb). However, if in a certain circumstance, some physical force is required to prevent instant and immediate harm to themselves or others, then this could be defended by other legislation. But for this law, no violence should be condoned. For the benefit of the children who are beaten to death, we need to show that society does not condone physical violence against children. Does it make them a criminal if a loving parent gently smacks their children? well only then as much as when you run an orange light or fail to wear a cycle helmet. Laws should be simple and straightforward. Let people, aka police, judges and juries decide when to implement it.

If its too hard for a person to discipline a child without using violence, they shouldn't be parents.

No they shouldn't!! Its a form of bullying! Would you smack a new employee when they did something wrong? NO i think not, children are children because this is the time in their lives where they are learning and growing. Just like a new employee they need time to learn and understand how things work, not being demoralised and belittled by someone who has a lack of understanding and from someone who should know better! being the adult and all...

No, if you say 'don't hit your sister in the head anymore' and then you smack your son to punish him, that's hypocritical. It's implying that hitting's okay when it's not. There are other more effective ways of dealing with bad behaviour than smacking. If you smacked an adult it would be assault, therefore the same protection should be given to a child.

Tasi's and maori's cant help beating there kids so must be kept illegal so we can put there kids in cifs care and shove the violent primitives in prison.

I should be able to strike stupid people.

No because who knows what sort of mental damage you may be causing to the child that he will suffer from in the future without even knowing. Peace, love and positivity is the way to go.

Reasons To Agree

As usual the pollies are making a complete hash of this debate. It has nothing whatever to do with gummint. How a child is disciplined depends entirely on the nature and character of the child - some respond to reason - others, the more adventurous and/or enquiring &/or monstrous, require other measures. The non-"violent" approach is desirable, should be advocated and tried firstit first. But failure to discipline leads to further trouble and to deny "smacking" in the form appropriate to the circumstance and the child is asking for more. The pollie behind this is "damaged goods" - it is written in her face and demeanour - she has a twisted outlook on life and seeks to impose her views on all of us.

I definely agree with smacking my children as a form of correcting, because they sometimes refuse to stop behaving in a manner that is harmful to themselves or others'. A good example is I have a "three strike" rule in my home, whereas my ten year-old was deliberately jumping in our pool DIRECTLY on top of other children, after I had warned her to desist TWICE!! The THIRD time, she ignored my warnings, and as a consequence of her actions', she hurt one of the other kids' so I smacked her, AND banned her from the pool, as she became defiant and gave me a mouthful of cheek!! I cook, clean, try to educate my kids with manner's, pay for everything and my kid's want for nothing!! SO, I will NOT STAND for disrespect!! I am a Grandmother AND a successful one at that, so I refuse to be told how to discipline MY children, in MY home!!

I don't like the choice of word hit in this question but a smack given by a loving parent is a great way to discipline children and contrary to some peoples misgiuded beleif it does not encourage violenece!

smacking is not an indication of child abuse. surely there is another method that our $20b a year welfare system can use to identify horrific individuals unfit to be parents.

as long as not to cause physical injury

However, the word hit should be carefully defined. I think the justice system has enough to worry about without putting these parents through the ringer taking up valuable resources. I don't belive that this law prevents any of the nasty cases of child abuse we see coming through so frequently.

Of course they should, children need dicipline, they had dicipline fifty years ago, and look at the difference, drugs, suicide, violence, and failure are commonplace. But there is a difference between dicipline and violence, this needs to be carefully thought out.

because parents should be capabil to know smacking/disapline from abuse.if they dont get a little bit of ddisapline they will think that they can do what they like and get away with it.at the end of it all they will probely have gone to jail because they did not get any disapline and they though that they could have gotten away with it.and we dont want the future generation to become like that.

What else are the parents suppose to do if their chid is misbehaving? How will the children know when they've done something wrong? Will telling them off work? Or Lock them up in their room? GROW UP New Zealand!

it should be a choice of a responsible adult

Yes, as long as it is not abusive. Some children needs correcting and talking alone won't do them any good

Smacking should be allowed but with minimal force. I got smacked as a child and it never did me any harm, and soon made me think twice before playing up as a child.

I love my parents for smaking me, it released adrenaline man, it was like a drug. im kidding btw. I am still glad im not like my younger brothers and sisters who are protected by the law and are little brats who just cause troubles and cost us a lot! I don't see bright futures in my younger siblings. It makes me cry at night

Kids need a smack its called discipline my kids get it if playing up if they didn't they'd walk all over me as I'm a single mother