Sir, – If a stranger gave me a “smack” would I think it’s okay (Jacky Jones, HEALTHplus, January 31st)? Of course it wouldn’t be okay. There is a huge difference between the purposeful smacking of a child in order to instil respect and discipline, and smacking a random stranger on the street; the connection is tenuous at best .
Ms Jones then equates corporal punishment to “child abuse”. There is vast disparity between child abuse and a behaviourally related disciplinarian smack. There is a clear distinction between what constitutes child abuse and what constitutes corporal punishment.
I agree with Ms Jones when she says that children should be put first, they are the future of our country, and, as such, one of a parent’s “responsibilities” should be to teach them proper conduct, whether or not this involves corporal punishment. These ridiculous comparisons do little for the debate and only serve to negate any valid argument proposing the eradication of corporal punishment. – Yours, etc,