Hi. 60 Minutes is putting together a story on smacking. We’re looking for families where smacking is a part of the everyday discipline routine. It’s a topic every parent has a view on and we would love to hear from you. Please contact me at jharley@nine.com.au. Cheers for now. Jonathan Harley, Producer, 60 Minutes.

I copped the cricket bat, broom handle, six & four of the cuts (cane), back hand across the head plus a few a kicks in the guts, and that was at a , catholic, boarding school, Catholic Boarding school.

Detentions were used less often. We rationalised this on the fact that corporal punishment was over in seconds and detentions were too inconvenient for those who had to stay back and supervise us.

On the holidays my Mum used the feather duster and when dad eventually came home it was the belt.

My parents reckoned I turned our alright (you be the judge of that).

A recent news article cited some research and conflicting views on the impact of smacking kids.

* SMACKING can cause more than tears – it can also lower a child’s IQ due to psychological stress, according to new research.
* The article reported that children smacked up to three times a week had a lower IQ than children who were not smacked.
* Children aged five to nine years who were smacked regularly had an IQ 2.8 points lower.
* Dr Straus said children who constantly faced physical punishment lived in fear and suffered stress, which was associated with poorer academic performance.
* Sydney psychologist Dr Judith Kennedy said parents who gave an occasional tap on the bottom should not fear damaging their child.
* Dr Carr-Gregg said hitting children should never be the main disciplinary tool – giving them time out was the best option.
* “But while parents should never whack their kids on the head, I don’t believe the odd tap on the bum traumatises them,” he said.

There’s no doubting that some kids are harder to manage than others. Some kids can be horrors and may need some stern measures to pull them into line.

It’s not as easy to redirect your child if you have not had the appropriate role models in your life. We suggest negotiating, time outs and loss of privileges. Smacking has to be a last resort.