Nursery World - Teaching discipline

Proposing that pain is often the only way to discipline a small child just shows Andrew Bowdler's (Letters, 17 October) lack of imagination and understanding of child development. How does he think that toddlers are disciplined in nurseries, where these methods are, thankfully, outlawed? However, Mr Bowdler has unwittingly helped highlight a point that I would like to make. The NSPCC, United Nations and other institutions are lacking in first educating people about alternative forms of discipline to smacking. Also, there is an obvious difference between a smack and a beating, but for legislation purposes where do you draw the line? How do you put into words how hard a smack is acceptable?

How does he think that toddlers are disciplined in nurseries, where these methods are, thankfully, outlawed? However, Mr Bowdler has unwittingly helped highlight a point that I would like to make. The NSPCC, United Nations and other institutions are lacking in first educating people about alternative forms of discipline to smacking. Also, there is an obvious difference between a smack and a beating, but for legislation purposes where do you draw the line? How do you put into words how hard a smack is acceptable?

The other issue I think anti-child abuse groups need to tackle is the 'it's not my business' culture we seem to have where other people's children are concerned. In one recent case the neighbours of a tortured child admitted to hearing 'banshee-like screams from the flat'. Children can't choose their parents; children are everyone's responsibility.

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