The Herald is running a week-long series on the smacking debate. On Saturday we looked at changing smacking habits, today we cover parents' stories. To tell us your stories, go to the Your Views discussion. Or you can follow the debate on our facebook page.
An Auckland primary school principal thinks child abuse would be better tackled by boosting social welfare services than banning smacking.
Malcolm Milner, of Balmoral Primary, said that because of the ban parents should be paid to attend parenting courses that will equip them with alternative methods of discipline. Mr Milner has not noticed any major changes in the attitudes of parents or reports of children smacking children since the ban was enforced.
Children, especially the younger ones, still tell teachers about being smacked, though this is often nothing serious. Mr Milner has not noticed any improvement in the process of getting Child Youth and Family to check out a case the school really is worried about.
Mr Milner said parents should be able to avoid smacking, just as teachers can.
"If you were really committed to [banning smacking] why wouldn't you pay every parent $100 to attend a parenting course? So you are educating parents and giving them other options. Education does make a difference."
Devonport Primary principal Shirley Hardcastle had noticed more parents requesting parenting courses, and the school had teamed up with others in the area to offer talks.
Auckland Primary Principals Association president Marilyn Gwilliam said principals absolutely have an ethic of care where children are concerned and when it comes to reporting smacking or abuse make the best decisions they can at the time.
