Do naughty kids just need a ‘good spanking’? I don’t recommend corporal punishment to families. I don’t even tell people to smack their kids. But I smack my own kids. How can both those things be true? And is smacking even legal in Australia?

References

de Melo Avezum, M.D.M., Linhares, M.B.M. and Altafim, E.R.P. (2022) Spanking and Corporal Punishment Parenting Practices and Child Development: A Systematic Review, Sage Journals. Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/15248380221124243 (Accessed: 16 November 2025).

Evans, S.Z., Simons, L.G. and Simons, R.L. (2012) The effect of corporal punishment and verbal abuse on delinquency: Mediating mechanisms - journal of youth and adolescence, SpringerLink. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10964-012-9755-x (Accessed: 16 November 2025).

Fry, Richard (2000) ‘Child Discipline | Parents must be in charge of their children’, British Medical Journal, 320, pp. 1540. doi:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1118118/.

Hain, Richard D. W. (2000) ‘Child Discipline | Occasional smacking does no harm’, British Medical Journal, 320, pp. 1539. doi:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1118118/.

Haslam, D.M. et al. (2023) ‘The prevalence of corporal punishment in Australia: Findings from a Nationally Representative Survey’, Australian Journal of Social Issues, 59(3), pp. 580–604. doi:10.1002/ajs4.301.

Havighurst, S.S. et al. (2023) ‘Corporal punishment of children in Australia: The evidence-based case for Legislative Reform’, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 47(3), p. 100044. doi:10.1016/j.anzjph.2023.100044. Hidden in plain sight: A statistical analysis of Violence Against Children (2014). New York: UNICEF.

Larzelere, R.E. (2000) ‘Child Discipline | Weak Evidence for a Smacking Ban’, British Medical Journal, 320, pp. 1538–1539. doi:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1118118/.

Larzelere, R.E. (2025) Child outcomes of nonabusive and customary physical punishment by parents: An updated literature review - clinical child and family psychology review, SpringerLink. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1026473020315 (Accessed: 16 November 2025).

Porzig-Drummond, R. (2015) ‘Help, not punishment’: Moving on from physical punishment of children, Cambridge Core. Available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/children-australia/article/abs/help-not-punishment-moving-on-from-physical-punishment-of-children/DD744B4DCD5E4B72E295F9D27FA9EFCF (Accessed: 16 November 2025).

Rowland, A., Gerry, F. and Stanton, M. (2017) ‘Physical punishment of children: Time to End the Defence of Reasonable Chastisement in the UK, USA and Australia’, The International Journal of Children’s Rights, 25(1), pp. 165–195. doi:10.1163/15718182-02501007.

Santini, P.M. and Williams, L.C. (2016) ‘Parenting programs to prevent corporal punishment: A systematic review’, Paidéia (Ribeirão Preto), 26(63), pp. 121–129. doi:10.1590/1982-43272663201614. Triple P (no date) Positive Parenting Program. Available at: https://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/au/triple-p/ (Accessed: 16 November 2025).

Trumbull, Den A. (2000) ‘Child Discipline | Parents need techniques for behavioural control’, British Medical Journal, 320, pp. 1539. doi:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1118118/.

United Nations (2006) Report on the 42nd session, Geneva, 15 May-2 June 2006: Convention on the Rights of the Child. Geneva: UN.

Waterston, Tony (2000) ‘Child Discipline | Author’s reply’, British Medical Journal, 320, pp. 1540. doi:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1118118/.

What does the Bible have to say about the physical discipline of my children? Here are all the verses!

What should I do when I’m short-tempered with my child? What is Biblical gentle parenting?

00:00 One viewer's struggle
00:21 A spiritual battle
05:26 Preventing Grumpiness
09:34 Curing Grumpiness
15:54 Managing the rest of the day
19:08 How to find help
21:50 An encouragement

What happens when the bedtime routine threatens to go off the rails? This is how we settle our children to sleep (even if they're too young to understand me telling them that it's bedtime), how we calm their minds, help them process the day, help them refocus on God and call them to a higher standard tomorrow.

For what I do when my 2yo doesn't want to obey, WATCH: https://youtu.be/cF1UvijIyVk

‘Consequences’ for preschoolers are supposed to be immediate, consistent, loving and non-dramatic. But what does that actually look like? Here are 28 situations from my home and what consequences looked like for each.

What about common objections to smacking: Is it legal? Will I traumatise my child? https://youtu.be/HXaNzkEIG6c

Is smacking really Biblical? https://youtu.be/pB747NCJuVM

How much of my grief is it right to expose my children to? And under what circumstances?

This episode was recorded on 2 October 2025.

On other things that are supposed to damage kids, but don't if you do them right: https://youtu.be/HXaNzkEIG6c

What do young children need to know about forgiveness? What do I expect my sons to do when they are whacked or stolen from or wronged somehow?

For more on consequences for preschoolers: https://youtu.be/cF1UvijIyVk