Commentary
Smacking, or spanking—as the Americans would call it—disobedient children has a history as old as the existence of humanity. But lately, there have been incessant demands to ban the practice by making it illegal.
In Australia, the topic has been recently debated on the Today show on Channel 9, and there have been numerous newspaper articles that seek to contribute to a debate that has polarised people.
Happy Families, a website devoted to family relationships, advocates for the abolition of all forms of corporal punishment of children. It refers to an ABC survey, indicating that “Older Australians tend to agree that ‘smacking is an acceptable form of discipline at higher levels than do younger Australians.”…