People often have strong opinions about whether smacking is right or wrong, helpful or harmful, or whether parents should even have the right to smack their children.
It can be overwhelming for parents when outsiders – including other parents, onlookers, politicians or various experts – weigh into the debate about how they should raise their children. But it can be equally difficult and confusing for the children and young people at the centre of the debate.
By adopting a positive parenting approach, parents and carers can guide children and young people towards appropriate behaviour, thereby building better relationships with their children. By assisting their children to understand their emotions and by teaching them how to cooperate with others, parents will be helping their children moderate their emotions and develop their independence.