By European standards the United Kingdom lags behind on the issue of children's rights, particularly regarding the use of physical punishment. Later this year, young people and adults will be asked for their views on smacking as the European Court of Justice attempts to clarify what is meant in legal terms by reasonable chastisement.
| Smacking is basically hurting your own child and it is sort of barbaric when you think about it. |
"Wait till I get you home, then I will give you something to cry about," screams an angry parent at her red-faced five year old son, who bawls as he is dragged through the supermarket aisles nursing a throbbing clipped ear.
Was it right of the adult to lash out at the child? Did the child deserve what he got? Should all forms of physical punishment be banned?
"I don't think it is good to hit your child, especially in public. Just think of the embarrassment and pain your child is going through when you hurt them in front of every-one," said Paul McAteer, 13
Memories of being hit by a parent can stand out more than any other single event for many teenagers like Paul.
"I was kicking a ball in the entry against the wall at my granny's, I was told not to and stopped for about two seconds, then I came back and started again. One of my relatives called me in and hit me. That happened a long time ago but I still feel an emotional scar," he said.
Children are Unbeatable, an alliance of children's organisations, is spearheading a campaign in Northern Ireland to prevent the use of physical punishment.
They aim to change the law and ensure children have the same rights as adults when it comes to physical assault. Just under a third of Northern Ireland's population are children.
"Parents should find other means of discipline instead of smacking, which is basically hurting your own child and it is sort of barbaric when you think about," said Hugo McIlveen, 15.
"I think parents should take away their children's privileges. If parents stop your allowance and you can't go out with your mates, you will seriously think twice before doing something wrong again," he added.
Like many other young people, Sheena Hall, 14 thinks smacking does not stop bad behaviour and sends out a negative message. "Smacking is not a good way of discipline because it is saying that physical violence is OK."
"Some parents are so stressed out that they build everything up inside them and then use their children as punchbags - they need to stop doing that and get help instead of taking it out on their children," she added.
Some parents don't think of smacking or a clip around the ear as 'real' physical punishment; others think disciplining their children is a private matter and no-one else's business, certainly not the government's.
"If there was a ban on smacking, it might reduce the amount of smacking going on at home but it would never completely stop it, "said Christopher Mc Cartney, 15.
It distances you from your parents if they hit you. You don't want to talk to them about anything," Christopher added.
Colin Reid, Policy Adviser at NSPCC, which supports a legal ban on smacking says adults' attitudes need to change.
"For some children smacking does not work and we need to move to a culture that uses other forms of discipline which promotes positive outcomes for parents and children," he said.
Twenty years ago, Sweden banned the smacking of children. There has been overwhelming support for the ban and a marked reduction in serious child abuse cases.
Thomas Kielty, 15 said that relationships can become very strained if there is a threat of physical discipline.
"You would start lying to your parents if you thought it would get you out of trouble and avoid getting a smacking" he said.
Chris King, 15 thinks smacking is acceptable sometimes. "You should try everything else first, grounding or taking their money away. If that does not work the only way left is to hit them but you should not hit them hard, just enough to make them realize that they should stop what they are doing."
About the team
This article was produced by Andrew Bailie, 13, Sheena Hall, 14, Amanda McAteer, 13, Paul McAteer, 14, and Lucas Dillon, 10. It was published in the News Letter in Northern Ireland.
