English Speech Against Physical Punishment of Children

English Speech Against Physical Punishment of Children

Good Morning/Afternoon ladies, gentlemen and chairperson. I am also

arguing against the motion that states, this house believes that

physical punishment including smacking young children is wrong.

I am a firm believer that a short, sharp smack can keep children under

control. This doesn’t mean they should be beaten up or even marked,

but strict and fair punishment will benefit a child in the long run.

Please picture this scene: a young child of around 3 years is having a

temper tantrum in the middle of a busy high street because his mum

won’t buy him a toy car. He tries to run away from his mother,

screaming and shouting at the same time. To stop the noise the mother

gives in a buys the toy car. Now ask yourself who is in charge here,

the mother or the child? After all, the child gets his own way and now

knows exactly what to do next time he wants something. In these

circumstances, parents may have to resort to a smack to one, get the

child listening and doing what they are told, two, stop the noise and

temper tantrum and finally, for the child’s benefit and own safety.

Also, what or who is going to stop an out of control child running out

into the middle of a busy road? A quick smack is a lot less pain full

then getting knocked down by a car or even a bus!

There are many in favour of the government leaving the law as it

stands that parents have the right to smack their children. Groups

such as Family and Youth Concern feel politicians should let parents

get on with bringing up their children as they see fit, and warn that

any change in the law would risk turning thousands of parents into

criminals. They also feel a ban on smacking would be impossible to

enforce.

The opposition may argue that there are other forms of punishment

which are just as effective as smacking. For example, ignoring the