Children learn from their role models, be they childcarers, parents, extended family or peers. If they see hitting as a way of dealing with a situation, they will learn to face their problems this way, and in years to come we will have a new generation of adults who are unable to communicate except by violence.
Hitting any child is wrong. All it does is stress that 'if I'm bigger I can bully you'. Do we really want children to be scared of us? Wouldn't we rather a child admired us, felt safe with us and loved us?
I have worked in childcare for more than ten years. At no point have I ever used physical punishment on a baby or child. I totally disagree with the notion that smacking is the only way to discipline a child under age three.
Try talking to the child; you might be surprised by the results you get.
As role models, isn't it our duty to help young children in later life by allowing them to make choices for themselves? I train all of my staff and interested parents on the value of giving children and babies choices by redirecting negative behaviour and praising them as much as possible.
Through positive role-modelling we show babies how to be gentle, how to love and how to communicate with others.
All children want is to be loved, and to them any attention is better than none. So if a child receives only limited attention from a parent or carer they will behave in a negative manner. How many times have you heard parents say 'Well done' to their children while in a supermarket? Unfortunately it's usually the opposite situation. If we learn to praise children they will respond in a positive way.
Besides, as the NSPCC says, if smacking works, why do people have to keep doing it?
Laura Oliver, nursery manager, the Manor House Nursery, Merton, Surrey
