Always a contentious subject for frazzled mothers, smacking was again brought into the public forum when Insight aired on SBS last night. Parents in both the for and against camps are eager to be heard. And this time they want ALL Australians to be heard.
Research from Monash University suggests that migrants who come to Australia from places like Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, often find Australian parenting styles too laidback and are surprised to learn that smacking isn't that common. In these societies parents are usually more authoritarian, and smacking is a part of that role.
Associate Professor Andre Renzaho said on Insight last night that people need to stop seeing Western styles of parenting as superior to that of other cultures.
“It’s very disappointing to see cultural imperialism, and what I mean by cultural imperialism, is that someone wrote a book about smacking," Professor Renzaho says.
"See, I smack my kids, but I don’t condone smacking. Smacking is one ingredient that is what I call ‘a clash of cultures’. Yes, smacking, when you use it in an individualistic culture, like Australia, it can be misunderstood compared to when it’s used in a collective culture," he said.
"If you are in an individualistic culture like Australia, smacking, which is an ingredient of authoritarianism, is associated with maternal stress and negative emotions. When they smack, they are not smacking to discipline, but it’s to relieve their emotions, relieve their stress. While in a collective society it’s more about telling your kid ‘when you do this, this is what is expected from you in society’".
An interesting perspective. But how much is smacking ingrained into our own culture?
Pinky McKay, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Parenting Editor, Author, Infant Massage Instructor & Mum of five says on bellybelly.com.au