So, I think we're digressing here.  This thread was about discipline in general, not just smacking.  There are plenty of threads on this site debating the pros and cons of smacking.

I was actually enjoying the different views about all disciplines.  I am very disappointed in the fact that these days, parents seem to be paralized by the fear of setting consequences for thier children.  Not just smacking, but any kind of consequence.

When a child hurts my child, and the parent doen't even say anything, it just makes me mad.  What can I do, but make my son leave a place where he should be having fun, to avoid a kid who's hitting other children, and the offending mother won't even get off her butt long enough to say no hitting.

My son has hurt other kids before (99% by accident), and I ALWAYS say something.  At the very least I tell him to be more careful, and I always make him say he's sorry.  Sometimes, the other parents look at me like I'm some freak, making a toddler be responsible for his own actions.

But honestly, if he's capable, why wouldn't I?  Maybe I just have a little more confidence in the intelligence of my child.

As a mother of 4 , when my children  were younger and into mischeif i would give them a little smack  on the hand  with a firm NO when they were touching things that they shouldn't be.They soon learnt that when mummy said NO she meant No.This is how both my husband and I were raised ,with no harm to us. we have been together for nearly 18 yrs and my husband has always had a good job and our children have a stable family life.

But then with my husbands parents they were not as hard on his  2 younger  brothers as they were with him and they both have problems with drugs and alcohal and in and out of jobs and relationships at 25 and 26.Maybe it is a sign of the times or just with different parental stratergies.

Congratulation to you on bringing up such a controversial subject!  I can see from the number of response that many people feel the same. I can see both sides of the argument to smack or not to smack. 
If you are able to teach your child the consequences with out smacking and still protect them from harm – well done to you. I will admit that I have smacked my child and got the desired result (he stopped before he ran straight in front of a moving car).
I think the fact that there are parents out there who can’t tell the difference between a smack and belting is why there is so much controversy. I believe that smacking should only be allowed if your hand is open (i.e. not closed fist) on the back of a hand or from the waist down. I would personally not recommend smacking in public – mostly because as a society it is not acceptable and the consequence for an adult who does smack can mean you lose your child

hi there i agree smacking is ok as long as its for a good reason and it stasy in the bum or had .i know aparently there is a rule now coming that no parents is allowed to smack a child well if anyone told me not to i would ignore it ,i have smacked my kids in front of human services and authoritys and when they told m enot to do it i told them" did you give birth to them? do you come to my house and care for them and deal with bad behavour ? well bugger off " and they walk off ,my kids are my kids if anyone like many have at time in public came to me and told me off for yelling to loud or looking bad i simply get my oldest son and ask them wht they think of him and 99% of the time they say he is polite ,well behaved and  a good boy so i reply to them " there you go so i must know what iam doing "

kids who dont get smacked tend to put it over parents and get away with to much ,most of us parents grew up with a smack and it never hurt us ,my father went over board and smacked me with belts something i would never do to my kids but if my son back chats ,steals ,stbs someone ,endangers his siblings or himself i will either yell at them or give them a smack i would never smack a child in the face or head ,my husband did that once and i made him fly across the room.he never again did it and leaves the smacking to me and i live the voice raising to him ashe has a deper stronger voice  it works .

children need love but sometimes you need to show him tough love for their own good.

I have only smacked my daughter I think twice, maybe three times, I find that if she is doing something, I'd prefer her not to be doing, or shouldn't be doing, i'll take her by her hand, tell her NO, MUMMY DOESN"T WANT YOU DOING THAT, or MUMMY DOESN"T LIKE YOU PLAY WITH THAT IT WILL HURT, then take her to  find a toy, or book or something else to play with.  I found that all I have to do is say no, and she will stop. 

But it's all about personal choice.  I don't like smacking, and I was only smacked as a child if I'd done something really wrong.

I do not agree, I have seen how with SOME people this can escalate in something quite physical. Unfortunately not all parents can remain in control of the situation and it gets out of hand, they do not know how to draw a line in what is as you say is OK smacking and what is not.

I  and my 3 siblings grew up with no smacking but had strict parents where the boundaries were set and feared more our parents disapproal. One look from my mother or fathers face was enough and we were displined in other ways. We have perfect manners growing up and were very respectful of our parents.

I am bringing my own child up in the same manner and so have my siblings. I do not make judgement of others who do use smacking as there technigue but would not use it myself. Although I do feel very uneasy when I see children being hit in public as usually in becomes worse in private.