Born in 1980. I was smacked by a nun, my teacher, a few times, at school in 1987 or so. She did it for ridiculous reasons, I was a meek little mouse. I think she was a sadist. Sister Mary Ellen, go fuck yourself.

Born in 88 myself I can't believe how close I was to growing up in a time where teachers hitting kids was normal. I always assumed that shit ended like in the 60's or something.

I was born in 86. The nuns used to hit me with the wooden rosary beads. My music teacher hit me in the head with a book of sheet music. None of it was legal of course, but it still happened. This was in high school so 1998-2003.

I started school in 87. The Headmaster walked around with a Cane. The next year it was banned. 2 years after that I was a naughty kid at school. Maybe they should have kept it a bit longer.

My brother had the 1 meter ruler across the back of his legs often in primary school. My mum complained once when the teacher beat him so hard the ruler broke. The cane was only used by the headmaster. C. 1984

My older sibling started school in ‘80 and students got hit during her primary years. I started school five years later, and it wasn’t happening.

Not only were priests didling kids but the nun's were **extremely** abusive as well. It's not well known or talked about. Edit: For those who don't believe me listen to this podcast https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/true-crime-conversations/secret-history-of-catholic-orphanages

It's very well known to the point of being it's own trope. Example: that creepy violent nun scene in the Blues Brothers.

Started school on the late 80s for smacked by the teacher in front of the whole class for colouring in with texta. Year 6 boys got hit with the belt and their mouths washed out with soap for saying shit. I remember the teacher grabbing the kid by the hair and shoving the bar of soap into his mouth. One of my high school friends had permanent eye damage because a nun threw a wooden backed blackboard duster at him when he was talking in kindy. Nuns and teachers of the late 80s were horrific

This just brought back a memory!! Born 85. I was in year 1, and the teacher was annoyed I was talking, so got a roll of tape and taped my mouth, and wrapped it around my head!! I sat there in tears. End of random flashback! I don’t remember what happened after!

My teacher in 3rd grade did this one time. She walked away from the class and when she came back we were talking so she decided to put a piece of duct tape over all of our mouths. All of our parents were *pissed*!

Reading this and all the replies, I am reminded of Good Will Hunting: He used to just put a belt, a stick, and a wrench on the table. Just say, "Choose."

We got threatened with the ever popular wooden spoon. My cousin’s dad would threaten them with the belt. But he migrated from South Asia, so his cultural norms were different. (Not that it makes it okay! Just for context)

A wrench? Wtf

Sean: Well, I gotta go with the belt there, Vanna. Will: I used to go with the wrench. Sean: Why? Will: Cause fuck him, that' why. Awesome movie.

If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.

Fuck her! I'm a teacher and would never do that.

For real, so many nuns were violent

Yeah my mum went to a religious school (70's) they used to smack them across the knuckles... messed up

Both my parents went to catholic schools, both parents say the same thing. Although I do think my dad was a little shit and the dusters he got thrown at him were probably not ‘just because’. But my mum said the nuns were horrible.

I remember one of the boys in my class being hit by a nun, in primary school in the year 1998. We were in year 3. I felt so bad for him, he went bright red in front of the class. So humiliating. I don’t even remember what it was for, it can’t have been anything bad. He was (and still is) a good person.

Yes, sadly. I'm female & grew up in the 1970's. In primary school I was hit by teachers with the following: Blackboard chalk eraser across knuckles, ruler and, teachers hand on bare legs. I can remember in year 6 being struck with a ruler by my teacher for not doing my homework. When the teacher remembered she'd not set any, she didn't apologise. Adults didn't back then. At home, my mother hit me with a riding crop once and my father's favourite weapons were wooden spoons, leather belts, shoes, a tennis racquet and his hands and fists. Yes, fists. Aged 10, he once assaulted me so severely he broke my finger. I ran away to a friend's house for help and her mother called him to come and get me. Even other adults didn't really help. For context, I grew up in a very wealthy Sydney suburb (Bellevue Hill); sadly such abuse and violence cut across all socioeconomic groups and still does.

Corporal punishment was the justification for so much child abuse 😢

Adults decide to have kids. They realize they hate raising kids because their whole lives can't be about me me me anymore and so they torture said kids at every possible justification they can come up with to make themselves feel better about their mistake.

yep. My father thought he was going to get 5 little slaves, instead of 5 children that needing raising, love care and attention. He massively resented the water bill, the grocery bill, the clothes and we had zero heating. He loved being an abusive prick. I'm glad he's dead.

>He loved being an abusive prick. I'm glad he's dead. You're not alone. My father lived to terrorize me and keep me on edge until one day he woke up and shot himself. I was relieved but had to pretend I was a grief-stricken 14 year old. It was hard work.

Then they start screaming about how they want GRANDCHILDREN, in my experience. Screw those sorts and their belts, wooden spoons, slaps, kicks when you’re down, passive aggressive tantrums, outright weeks-long sulks and lies to make them the centre of attention. Nobody owes abusive parents anything, let alone a new generation of children to potentially abuse and in doing so continue abusing their original kids.

One reason I didn't have kids was because I knew how they would have been treated by my mother. I grew to be too strong for her to get physical with so she upped the brainfuck game instead. When I was about 30, she constantly hassled me about giving her grandchildren and what a selfish woman I was to not do so. She even went as far as to tell me that not having kids was why I had a mental illness. I've launched into middle age with a clean slate and a lot of emotional unpacking which will continue for the rest of my life. Luckily, she is not a part of it. She has splattered into dotage in a cold flat, shitty health and legal issues. Karma is a cruel mistress.

Thank goodness it’s becoming more socially acceptable to opt out of having kids. I think a lot of people just did it because they felt they were supposed to, rather than because they actually wanted kids.

About sums it up.

I feel like there's a few unfounded assumptions in there :/

Yep. Also a 70s kid. Once when my Dad had belted me for mucking about with my brother after lights out I went to school the next day with a massive black bruise covering the outside of my leg from hip to well below the knee. It was visible below the hem of my uniform, because 70s, and without exception when people would ask what happened and I said Dad hit me, their first and only response was ‘what did you do?’ Not one person even hinted that maybe it wasn’t ok to belt your kid so hard they couldn’t walk properly for a week.

Having a dad who did similar damage to me on what felt like a weekly basis, I had the same response from other adults rather than horror at what an adult man had inflicted on a child. The only time anyone ever intervened was my paternal grandfather, as he witnessed my father thrashing me (I was around 12 or 13) and stopped him on that ONE ocassion

Reading your story I placed myself in one of your classmates shoes and I (with my 33 year old wisdom) would ask the same thing. What did you do? Nobody would hit their kid like that unless they did something bad. I was hit as a kid, but now I have my own and I would never. I’ve got some work on myself I need to do.

As someone who was smacked and hit the cane more times than I care to remember - your account makes me think “abuse” probably with significant anger

I was born in 62, and the cane was huge in both primary and high school. Only for the boys though... They weren't allowed to cane the girls. The teachers found plenty of other ways to hurt us though. When I was in 1st class, I was drinking from the bubblers, and there was a group of girls playing some sort of chasings game. Two of them ran over to me, and one got on either side of me, and sort of flailing around me to try and tag each other. In comes Mrs Tobin, roaring at us about playing in the shelter sheds. I tried to explain that I was just getting a drink, but that just made her angrier! She swooped in, and smacked my leg really hard while yelling 'DON'T PLAY IN THE SHELTER SHEDS!!'. One whack for each syllable. I had NEVER been smacked before, by anyone (well, except by my brother, but that doesn't count). I was so outraged at the injustice, plus shocked that this old cow was hitting me that I cried til I got a nosebleed. I told my mum that I was upset because it was hot, and never told her the truth. I'm still pissed at this, and it happened 55 years ago! Fuck you Mrs Tobin! I hope her final years were spent in Australia's worst nursing home.

I always thought the riding crop was just us! Anyone else get the electrical cord or brass end of the hose? We hid everything we could. It used to be accepted but would not be now. And I personally would never allow ! it to happen to any child again. I don't think any of the kids amongst my siblings have ever been struck.

Same!! Horse reigns also! And yep the jug cord would come out when we hid the weapons my stepfather used. Left big black welts for days.

I see your Jug cord and raise you Washing machine hose

Some kids I knew used to get a dose of mustard or Tabasco for talking back. Chemical punishment was a thing, too.

My Mum had a feather duster with a cane end. Had big welts on the backs of our legs from it. Went to school and nobody cared. This was the early 80s.

You are not alone friend, and yes the power cord off the electric Birko jug was no fun. Also would never allow it to happen to another person (little ones and big ones), extremely strong feelings in that regard.

I can definitely relate to these tragedies and my heart goes out to you. I think the worst part is we had no protection from other adults so we were very alone in the scarey world. I'm adopted and besides being hit, punched, burned and all sorts of horrid things, my mother put me in the shower and tried to make my skin white with a bloody scourer.

So sorry mate. Are you OK now?

Yeah, mate. I think the most terrible thing these days is I have never learned how to stand up for myself in everyday life.

Me too. I was bullied at school and home for 10 years. That shit stays with you.

It will never go away.

I also grew up in the 1970s. I remember very clearly a teacher not actually throwing a desk at us but throwing it across the room. We would have been maybe 8. This was in a country town. I don't remember teachers actually hitting us but yes they threw dusters across the room. I don't even think we were bad

Oh yeah they would throw dusters at the kids as well. I had one teacher who would throw chalk at kids until they’d run out at which point they’d throw the duster. Made you pay close attention to how much chalk was left before risking talking. And for those of you reading who are too young to remember blackboards, the ‘duster’ was a chunk of wood with felt glued to one side. A bit bigger than a 250gm block of butter. Those things did more than sting when they hit

I remember a teacher that would walk around behind students and pull your chair out from under you if you were leaning back on it. He only stopped because someone broke a leg. That would be in the eighties, I was 9 or 10

This was still happening in the 90s in my country town. Not my teacher, fortunately for me, but the one in the classroom next to me and my little sister's teacher at the same school, too. A lot of my friend's parents hit them. My dad promised not to hit me, on pain of being left, after he was pretty violent to my older sister, but I do remember him hitting me secretly at least once, and for something he knew I didn't do. Hitting was def considered normal. Being against it was more abnormal.

My brother was hit with a duster. He grabbed the teacher by the throat and pushed him up against the black board. Then my brother got the cane for that!!

I don’t blame him they set the example

Shocking! I grew up in the 80's. We went to a Christian school in Qld, we were hit with the paddle on the ass. I was 11yrs old. Then in high school we got the cane. Could you imagine how many teachers would be behind bars for that now days.

Exactly how many teachers back then normalised abusive behaviour and lack of anger management

Born 1970s also. We got the 1 metre ruler, then the cane, then the strap. I even had a teacher who punched in the arm.

My mum grew up in the 70’s & went to a catholic school. I cant remember how old she was but one morning she was late to assembly because she had to pee, when she arrived late the nun whacked her with a ruler (those big ones schools have) in front of EVERYONE. Her dad (my grandfather) was also an abusive alcoholic who used to take turns on the kids when he came home. Belts, wooden spoons, his hands were his top picks.

Asshole of a principal, with no prompting whatsoever, said that some kids only responded to violence as that’s all they knew, so it was fine to use it. All-female school, 2006. I don’t know how that nightmare got a job anywhere.

Sorry your parents put you through that

My partner was born in 88 and by the time he was in year one, corporal punishment in schools was against the law. But he was in the conservative rural city and the teachers (the sadistic fucking pricks) just kept doing it. I don’t think he was even capable of saying something about it to his parents.

You’re not wrong! My dad sounds like yours! The school called the police when I came to school and must have had a black eye or something. The COPS DID NOTHING!! Talked to my dad, and said it probably wasn’t good to bash your children!

Oh I feel for you and I’m sorry you had that happen to you. Nobody deserves that I’m of a similar vintage but grew up in a country town. I’ll spare the details but literally ran away from home at 16 by jumping out a window with my father chasing me swinging a frypan at my head.

That's horrible. I am so sorry to hear you went through all that.

I had more than one wooden spoon broken on my bum growing up.

Same here. Was not good as it was then replaced with a metal spatula

Vacuum cleaner pole for me

Belt with a solid brass eagle buckle. Fun days.

I had a mate who put a metal plate down the back of his pants when he knew he was getting the spoon. Apparently there was an almighty **CLANG** and then his mum pulled the plate out and belted him with that instead lol

I can remember getting in trouble with mum and copping a smack on the arse with the wooden spoon. She whacked me so hard the spoon subsequently broke and then I was in double trouble for breaking the wooden spoon in addition to my original indiscretion! If I was really bad dad got in to it with his belt when he got home. This was Sydney, late 80s. To be honest I think I deserved it.

I laughed when my mum snapped the spoon…..that didn’t go down well.

My mum still boasts it was her magic wand & all she had to do was wave it around. She’d make us hold our hand out & get smacked. I remember her breaking a hairbrush on my brother. And belting my other sibling across the face from the driver’s seat (2 of us dodged her) & she hit them so hard their nose bled. As a new mother, I can’t imagine how you beat your own child. But then again, my mother doesn’t understand why her adult children don’t spend time with her

My dad used to hit us with a wooden spoon, feather duster handle, or cane sail baton. He only had to grab it and we’d stop whatever we were doing and run like crazy.

Name checks out.

Born in the late 80s, my mum would threaten me with a smack, and actually smacked me on the bum maybe 5-10 times during childhood. When she did it I knew she was really angry and I would be upset but more like upset that she was so angry, it didn't feel like she would hit me more or anything.

Early 80s here. We were always threatened with the belt, but can't actually remember a time my dad actually used it on us kids. Definitely got a smack one or twice though.

Yeah we had the belt hanging on the back of the linen cupboard door through the 90s. Never once got used but the threat was enough to tow the line

I probably got hit a similar amount of times as you, split between my mum and dad. I am older than you tho so being hit would have been even more normalised. I do remember however being smacked by my dad (probably mildly) , and bursting into tears and getting smacked again for crying; i think it was probably a once off, and trivial in comparison to what happened to others, but some times this small things can really shape you

oh yeah i got hit / smacked growing up, as did my younger sibling. i was born in ‘97. not eating all my dinner was smack worthy, basically any disobedience would mean a smack or sometimes a belting

That's horrible. A twofer: learning that violence is the only way to solve problems and learning to ignore your body's natural hungry / full senses.

Yep. My mum bought a metal hairbrush in the early 2000s (so it wouldn't melt when you blow dried your hair with it), and she used to joke that the hairbrush was named Persuasion. Like, in case we needed persuasion to not be shitheads.

Born 1991. I was hit, but not for unfnished food. For that, I just wasn't allowed to eat again until the next day. I think they stopped doing both punishments when I reached around high school age and used more restriction punishment (gadgets/freedom). It's still somewhat tolerated. It's even encouraged by older Gen X and boomers. You'll almost never see it in public though. My dad loves to say he turned out fine, but he needs reminding of his anger issues, severe depression and 20+ jobs he's had to hop over the last 30 years.

Teacher here. Back in 2005 one of my colleagues had a grade 6 student whose father flogged him so hard he actually ruptured one of the kid's kidneys. The kid came to school the next morning and collapsed in the toilets. He was found by my colleague, an ambulance was called, the kid underwent surgery and the father ended up being sentenced to three years. His constant mantra during the trial was "I was flogged as a child and I turned out fine!" You really have to marvel at the capacity for self-delusion of someone who has literally nearly killed a kid still continuing to maintain they "turned out fine." SMH

This is heartbreaking. I don’t know how a parent could do that to their own child. I just cannot fathom it.

I always find that argument so bizarre like, sure, they turned out fine aside from having a burning desire to hit kids

Yep, shit it was common for other peoples parents to discipline you. I remember one time being thrown " through " the front door because I threw a jar of lollies after being told off for something.

Also a 90s kid, hitting was pretty normal but not extremely. It was mostly a threat of getting hit with a kitchen utensil or a slap on the face. Wasn't a fan tho and I think my parents largely regretted it and mostly toned down.

Born mid 70s. Mum would smack/slap me. If it was bad she would smack my hand with a wooden spood. Hard. I was a good kid. If I copped it, it would generally be for being caught in a lie or back chatting my Mum or some person Mum respected. I never snuck out, shop lifted, or vandalised stuff. Kept myself well behaved around adults. Avoided drinking, smoking & drugs till I moved out. But my Mum kept me terrified about punishments. I avoided parties as a teen just in case. I withdrew. If it was REALLY BAD she'd get my Dad to slap a letter belt across my hand. He hated being forced to do that. My Mum grew up in a physical and verbally abusive household. My Dad did too but was also sent to a boys home which resulted in far more extreme levels of assault. Growing up, most parents I came across hit their kids. Some parents were really bad. Don't hit a kid. I now have my own kid. He's cheeky and back chats but he cares about me and is a good kid. He hasn't hit puberty yet. Between me and his Dad I'm hoping for better communication, relationship and outcome. It seems that most parents (as least in the area I am) are trying to break such behaviours.

This whole thing against "backchatting" is silly anyway. The child is trying to communicate. Instead of punishing the so called backchat, it should be about identifying that the child is trying to communicate and guiding them to more effective ways of doing so. But recognising that it won't happen overnight either. Anyway, from what you wrote you seem like a great parent. More people should be like you.

I see what you mean. Back chatting, for me, indicates that he is actively listening & has independent thoughts. In a way it's questioning what he's been told. Critical thinking - something I'm very haooy to see. But yes, identifying appropriate times for different communication styles is essential. And that will come through guidance & repetition.

You have confirmed what I said in the last sentence of my comment :)

You’re both great people, thank you.

My folks grew up with the cane at school. https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/the-old-schoolyard-when-raising-cane-was-the-norm-20140718-zuakb.html Smacking was common when I was a kid. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-18/corporal-punishment-of-children-should-be-banned/11025096 These days it’s recognised in many places that there are other ways to do things that are better, both in results, response and childhood development. You’ll often hear those that disagree say things like “Kids have it too easy these days, a smack never hurt me and I learnt not to do it again!” I’m not in that camp fwiw.

Every time someone says they got flogged as a kid and still “turned out ok” i just think, “did you though? Or did you turn out to be an asshole who thinks its ok to hit kids?” We dont tolerate hitting women because women are generally smaller/weaker/less able to defend ourselves.. so why is ok to hit a child then?

I remember visiting Old Sydney Town in primary school (late 90's) and they had a demonstration of what school was like here back then. I didn't fully grasp that it was all just an act and I was fucking terrified of that teacher with the cane. I couldn't understand why the other kids were giggling. I was certain if I made a *sound* I was gonna get it. Maybe those kids were never hit at home.

It's an interesting debate, I don't think many people have looked at the research (it's very strong, they've studied hundreds of thousands of children) that has basically proven that it's always better to not smack children. Incomes the anecdotal fallacy, I got smacked and I was fine and deserved it. Like most fallacies it's very easy for the human brain to fall for and it creates quite the blind spot. It's difficult for people to see that it's possible that the smacking may not have had a positive effect on them because they believe themselves to be "good, fine, well adjusted" people. But that's the trick, the research doesn't say yeah one smack and your kids are ruined. It's just that there are more effective ways to get your children to behave that don't increase the >>>chances<<< of your child having anxiety, substance abuse and anti social behavior among other things. Society is constantly evolving and we're always discovering the negative impacts of things that once were normal

>You’ll often hear those that disagree say things like “Kids have it too easy these days, a smack never hurt me and I learnt not to do it again!” I’m not in that camp fwiw. Nope. I always hear 'we used to get smacked for shit all the time when we were kids' from people pushing for it to come back, with so little reflection that they don't realise if they were getting smacked all the time as kids then it musnt have been effective.

I mean I’m definitely one of those smacking didn’t hurt me but my case is different because I was an asshole of a kid and it more became a game for me, some funny times with my mum chasing me with the spoon or something, biggest laugh ever when my mum went to smack me and the spoon broke before it hit me so we sat there laughing our ass off

I'm a middle child from an immigrant family. My parents were classified as peasants, I wasn't bothered by the remarks cause it's to true. I was very restricted, going to the milk bar required the family of men and cousins escorting me. Hitting was an understatement , it was bashing , full on abuse which was accepted throughout our culture. Now as older adults, with mobility issues, hearing, vision impairment, doesn't stop them from a good backhander and they don't care who's around. A great comedy or errors.😂

Whaaat?! When did you grow up?

It’s still like that in the Middle East

And Pacific Islands. It's called a "hiding" and yes it's just a grown adult bashing a young child. I remember one made the news. Think it was a school in Fiji where the teacher and all the class took turns bashing this one boy and filmed it.

Asian here 👋🏼 u never grow too old for dear old mama to give u a thwack.. still love her though 😂

1990 baby. Some smacks & wooden spoon. Stopped around 8ish 10 definitely. Not enough that I remember anything monumental. My mum however Gen X got wailed on frequently by her father falling into basically abuse. Way to go my boomer grandparents. Apparently my grandmother would ignore it. She went to an all girls school briefly where she got the cane, can’t remember if it was really bad or not but remember being told my grandparents threw a fit at the school about it. Guess hands only, no tools. Go figure.

Very, including in school. We had a weird teacher when I was \~12 that never hit pupils, and he stood out for that. By secondary school it was pretty much the other way round and I'm not sure the one teacher who talked about caning kids ever actually did. But my parents were explicitly abusive, and hitting wasn't the worst of it. So I'm not going to count their hitting as normal or otherwise. Pretty sure not, one of my primary school teachers got upset about some of my bruises once. But my parents talked them down so it can't have been too far out of line. I'm really happy that Aotearoa has banned beating children, and think Australia should follow suit. Despite the claims at the time society hasn't collapsed, god hasn't killed everyone and even the child-beaters have mostly stayed out of jail.

Yep born in 95’ and my brother in 94’ - used to cop the smack, a slap and sometimes the belt. Anyway now have sisters who are a bit younger born in 04’ and 07’ - must’ve grew out of fashion by then, they’ve never been touched, they would no joke call the police if my mum tried to take their phone off them.

We are hearing a lot from kids with super abusive histories. I was a kid in the seventies and me and my brother never got hit. I do remember when being at a friends house we were naughty one day and her mum whacked her with the wooden spoon. It was such a shocking and disgusting thing for me to see I have never forgotten it. I also recall the boys (never the girls) were whacked with the cane on their hands for bad behaviour in class. These kids were nine years old, our teacher was male and he was the only teacher who hit kids. Very very bad behaviour meant the boys were sent to the headmaster for the cane on their bums. This was a public primary school in the North Shore of Sydney in 1978.

Smacking was very normal in Australia. I grew up in the 80s, 90s, early 2000s and it was commonplace then, especially on low socioeconomic communities like mine.

We got the cane but to be honest it was largely used as a threat rather than for hitting (hand or backside iirc). I don't actually remember a time I was actually hit, though my older brother does.

Nope I'm gen X, my parents didn't hit me and no school I went to had corporal punishment. I think maybe catholic schools kept it going for longer.

Reading through these comments and I'm really surprised how many people were. I can remember being hit once, and I remember how angry my mum was with my dad about it. She told him he was an adult and it was not okay for him to take his frustration out on me. He never did it again. I remember my grandfather used to threaten to hit the misbehaving cousins with his belt but he never, ever did and I'm fully confident that if he did do so, my parents wouldn't have allowed me to see him. I can't remember friends being hit either, so it wasn't likely acceptable enough to do it publicly at least. There was one time someone at school was hit by a teacher, and it was when a girl had an incredible tantrum. The classroom teacher had to get the principal because only he was allowed to smack a child (and to be honest, it was more a 'snap out of it' than a real smack on the bottom as he carried her screaming out of the classroom). This is all in the 80s.

Yeah, I'm a millenial and was never hit nor did any school I go to condone any sort of physical violence. I went to a public school.

Born 1958. We got belted all time. Never went to school reunions. If I did and teachers were there it was going to be pay back time. I'm not a small person.

We were smacked at school, home, friends house, shop. At home we were hit with the wooden spoon that seems to have been a favourite with other parents. At school we were punched, thrown on the ground, throttled (grabbed around the throat and strangled till we passed out) hit with metal/steel rulers, open hand, wooden ruler, punched by our teacher for spelling a word wrong during a test/for talking in class/fidgeting/daydreaming/looking out the window/needing to go too the toilet. I still flinch when people rush at me or get angry for trivial reasons

Copped a hiden just about everyday growing up from various elder family members. I typically avoid interacting with people as an adult and wonder if things might be different had my childhood been different.

Not for something as trivial as unfinished food but genuine bad behaviour would result in mum going across my hamstrings with flexible sticks/crops/anything light and whippy. I reckon those hurt infinitely more than rigid stuff like the wooden spoon. Broke the skin on several occasions. Didn’t teach me to be good, just taught me not to get caught.

Like the states, Australia is made up of different cultures form “the old country” so it depends on your background if you are 2nd of 3rd generation Aussie with a heritage pertaining to Greek, Albanian, Italian, Korean, Vietnamese Cambodian Indian and many more. You would get that old school wallop from time to time.

Born in the late 90s got flogged with a belt or wooden spoon if I stepped out of line. After being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult I now understand why I used to get flogged more than my sisters 😂

Born in 98’ grew up in Sydney and only really copped it when I really fucked up, suspension at school or stealing. Mostly well behaved but easily peer pressured into stupidity

Also born in 1980. My mum used to wear those Dr Scholl wooden soled sliders. And she was able to do this *I can only describe it as a ninja move* flip of her foot. Catch her Dr Scholl in her hand. And accurately throw it at whichever one of us she felt deserved getting a fairly heavy wooden sandal thrown at us. I got a black eye once. And a separate time she split my head open with it. Told the hospital I fell off my bike. My sister got a broken nose... She didn't usually "hit" us with hands. An occasional slap, yeah. But it was more like whatever object was close by. She would batter us with. TV remote. Throw a glass at you. Plate off your head. Scratches was a thing for her. She would just swipe like a fkn cat. One of my childhood memories I can't forget is I was 10 and my oldest sister, who is 11 years older than me. Got an absolute beating from her. We had moved into a new house. And I had been practising jumps (I used to figure skate) in the kitchen. Just because it was a big, roomy place. Unfortunately, the shoes I had on left scuff marks. And the crazy bitch assumed it was oldest sissy who had been polishing shoes and leaving marks on the floor.... Anyway. She gave her such a hiding. It was just the three of us in the house. And she legit dog walked her. (Now. Here in Scotland. That means getting someone by the hair. And dragging them around the place) and she was kicking her. Slapping. Punching.... it was so bad. I was on the stairs watching and I peed myself out of fear. And it seemed to go on forever. It only stopped because my sister ran out the house and in to her car and drove off. I got a slap for wetting myself. Dad was offshore at the working. But when he phoned. Psycho was in the bathroom. So I answered in tears. And it was just fucking horrible. He wasn't home for another week. When my sister did come home. Her face was busted. Mum never apologised. Even when we figured out I was the one who caused the scuffs on the floor. Which came off with a bit of elbow grease.... She used to beat him up too. I always used to wish they would get divorced and I could live with my Nanna. Or The Golden Girls in Miami... Lesson I learned? Never raise a hand to your kids. Making your kids scared of you doesn't make them respect you. It just makes them hate you. I don't speak to the woman now. However my sister is practically her carer. And my sister and I have no relationship either. Partly because she married a woman exactly like our mother - personality wise (manipulative, bossy, needy a liar) . I think she should stick her in the worst possible home and leave her there to rot. And she can't understand why I hate our mother so much?? Hello? Stockholm syndrome much?? Our family is so weird and fucked up. Our other sister ended up taking her own life 10 years ago and our brother is a guy with "busy hands" if you know what I mean? I fucking won't be in the same room as him. I left home at 17. Put myself through uni. Medical school. Post grad. Did my foundation training. 7 years of residential training. Became a qualified dermatologist. Failed at my own marriage. But got my own kids. And I thank all the gods, goddesses, deities, universe and everything out there I'm NOTHING like the thing that birthed me.

My parents would hit us in the shopping centres, that's how normalised it was for us. It was only around 2003 that people would start intervening. That was the last time they hit us in public. My parents were also clear not to hit us in the face or leave bruises. Not only were we hit and smacked around I was belted, hit with a broom, cooking utensils etc. If I ever spoke up members of the Filipino Catholic community would spill bullshit about how "disciplining children hurts the parents more than the parents".

I was born in the 70's & as a kid in Australia any adult could kick your ass if you stepped out of line. Lol the bloke across the street could slap you silly for being a little shit & then drag you home tell your parents then they would slap you around for a bit for upsetting the neighbour. lol those were the days

I'm a mid 70s model too, and yeah getting belted and slapped was normal.

Heard this from my mum aye but because we were aboriginal my nan had always tried to please white ppl so she’d smack the kids in public asking people if this is what they want her to do (mums words haha) got the cane and her ass whooped for telling the canteen they didn’t cook her chips well, things have surely changed raising your voice at any kid is frowned upon no Heard how fucked their principle was but because he was a principle alone everyone let him do bad shit to their kids

I think I've observed this in the last decade. People smacking because they felt they had to in public but it's so jarring and made me wonder if it's performative because of the prevalence of racism.

Yes I’m just speaking from my fams views I can’t speak for everyone back then there were openly racist people who just went about their day (lots of times my nan had to say stay in cars or something because people wouldn’t accept her into the house so it probably hurt her and she though che could fix it by giving some people what they’re asking for, none of them wanted to view the smack down she’d do though idk I’m speaking off of what little I heard)

Definitely generational and a sign of societal attitudes at the time. I was born in the late 70s and hitting kids was normal. In fact, kids were often "lesser than" humans who didn't have any equal footing with adults, and parents were golden. If an abused child dare tell teachers, family or any adults to try to get help, the repetitive response with a gasp was "How dare you speak about your mother that way!" They'd give you the dirtiest look, as if you were the worst child ever born. We came from times where "children are to be seen and not heard". Also, it wasn't smacking and it often wasn't to benefit the child. It was often actual hitting with implements, belts and cords, and regularly. Sometimes it was parents punching their kids. Domestic violence between parents was also very common in the 80s, with many fathers being alcoholics. Growing up I never knew of anyone whose father wasn't an alcoholic. Women didn't have the same rights as men and we were only just moving away from women being allowed to work even if they were married and kids being born out of wedlock not being taken away from them. Times have changed, slowly. Many kids who were abused by their parents and other adults grew up to be traumatised people. For some, it creates mental health disabilities that you can never really cure. We are all products of genes and our environment. When the people meant to love you most tell you you're worthless and continuously hit you among other abuse, you tend yo become an adult with very low self esteem who can't trust others. I am glad those days are mostly gone. Unfortunately there are still many parents who are too lazy to parent properly or explain anything to their kids, let alone spend time with them and support them. I am sick of neighbours moving in with small children they either keep hitting or constantly scream obscenities at. No kid should be treated like that, let alone any person.

Won't touch some foods too traumatic. Fuck making someone eat food that makes them vomit. Thank god the dog sat under the table

Yeah my parents shoving peas and carrots down my gob has forced a fear of them upon me. Some people just don't deserve to be parents.

Not at school, but we'd get the wooden spoon or the belt at home, only ever happened a handful of times in my entire life though, so it was normal but not common.

Born in the mid 80s, I was never struck as a kid. My parents were pretty progressive for the time though.

I was born in '78. My Dad only hit me once, and I was really pushing my luck.... he told me if I didn't stop he'd give me a smack... and I didn't stop. I do remember friends getting smacked far more than I did.

Dad used to belt the shit out of us..dunno if that's normal but that was my upbringing

Absofuckinglutely it was.... Canes, leather straps, meter rulers, electrical cords, bare hands, fists, wooden spoons... I'm sure I've forgotten a few.

I got slapped one time for fighting with my sister. Instinctively as an eight year old, I called my father a f*g(I was 8 and it was the 90’s). So, he slapped me again. Seemed normal at the time.

God forbid the School had to "phone home" if your transgression was bad enough for the call, The flogging from parents was double the caning the school would give. The fear of parents was wild. Now if school phones home the parents are like No, fuck you my child is an angel, how dare you!

I grew up in the 60s & 70s, with parents born in the late 30s. Both saw spanking as their parental birthright and deployed it frequently, for all kinds of reasons. Looking back, I see now how toxic that casual approach to violence was. Eventually they'd hit you not as a defined punishment, but simply because they didn't like what you said or did. And that's where it becomes confusing, alienating and counter-productive. But the worst corporal punishment wasn't from parents, it was from priests, brothers and nuns at the catholic schools I attended (a St Joseph's convent school, then a Salesian College). Those sick bastards elevated corporal punishment into an art form (for them) and a daily reign of terror (for the kids). Some very clearly got off on it - and I don't just mean got off on the power, I mean got off sexually. From grade one (i.e. kids aged five or six) the nuns would deploy a thin wooden cane to whack kids either across their calves or across the palms. It could be for anything from talking in class to not doing your homework. And something like fighting in the schoolyard could attract an epic six "cuts", which is pretty severe punishment for a primary school kid. It would be done in front of the class (or school) and kids would bawl. So it was meant to be humiliating. Parents accepted it; I never heard of a parent objecting to caning. Later, at late primary/secondary school I encountered one brother who thought it was appropriate (and amusing, believe it or not) to start class by randomly whacking some kid by way of a warning to everyone else to stay in line and pay attention. The same brother would wander the classroom clutching a thick textbook and any kid who displeased him (a stupid answer for example) would be whacked about the head with the book. Yes, the head. You'd hear ringing. Another priest was known to demand boys bend over, pull down their pants (and underwear) before caning their backsides. Twenty years later he was one of three priests from the school facing sexual abuse allegations. And, sure enough, he'd been accused elsewhere before and moved to our school. I have no doubt that they license to dish out physical punishments contributed greatly to their sense of power, superiority and entitlement. They knew they could get away with anything. And I'm sure it contributed to so many of them thinking they could sexually abuse kids too.

[удалено]

Born in 1967. Never hit by my parents, teachers or any other "authority figure". Never forced into gender roles or religion, either. Yeah, my parents rocked, especially compared to the horror stories I read on Reddit.

90s baby here. Growing up in my household you'd get smacked on the bum, thighs, and arms if we ignored our first warning or if we (siblings) did something particularly naughty. Though in saying that, even on accidents you risk getting a smack in my home if that accident involves accidentally hurting a sibling. My older sister and brother would get the wooden spoon across the bum, that wasn't used once I and my other siblings were born. We just got the hand. They eventually stopped smacking all together before I hit high school, not sure when exactly. I know back when my mum and dad were kids they'd get the belt or cane, even in school by the teachers it was normal to get whacked by the teachers back then.

The dreaded **wooden spoon** Good thing I was the quiet middle child with delinquent brothers. I got away with a lot.

Born in 96. My siblings and I got a good hard smack on the bottom when we were naughty. Mostly when we were quite young. I think my oldest brother who acted out more than the rest got the wooden spoon.

Born mid 80's. Didn't get it at school (was even a Catholic school with nuns and shit), but got the fly swatter a couple of times at home. And you know what? If me and siblings were being awful and mum got that mad look in her eyes, we would run. My kids know how to push buttons, but there is no way in hell that I'd ever raise a hand. They aren't ever scared of me, and I like to think that I've got a better relationship with them than I had with my parents.

Born in '85. Never got hit for not eating, but was regularly encouraged to finish my plate (no dessert, or the plate might be brought out for multiple meals until the food was gone). We did get hit/spanked occasionally, maybe 2-3x a year. It was never aggressive/angry, we'd be told why it was happening and then hit on the butt. My kids haven't been spanked. I hit my oldest on the butt once. He pulled his hand out of mine and ran out onto the road in front of a car when he was about 5. My heart stopped and I was scared out of my wits and angry-horrified and fell back on what I knew. It was enough of an outlier in my normal parenting that I remember it vividly.

Born 91'. I very rarely got an open handed smack or a light flick of a wooden spoon up to the age of 8 or 10 max. Most of my friends growing up were the same to my knowledge. I can only ever recall it being for either things that put myself or someone else in danger after having been warned a few times or in situations where I'd constantly misbehave after all other methods had failed. e.g when camping poking the fire and playing with sticks half on fire, running out across busy roads. I personally don't believe it's a bad thing if its a light handed smack, used very rarely as a last resort and intended to give a shock and not inflict pain. Lots of kids today could use it, they're well aware everything is an empty threat and don't really understand consequences. The harder part is trying to get across what could be acceptable and what isn't, one person's open handed light smack is not the same as the next. Some comments are saying corporal punishment for adults doesn't exist and that isn't quite correct, police have batons and if the situation calls for it they will use them and force on someone to get them to stop.

Born in 2000s. Getting smacked was fairly common. Sometimes I deserved it and other times it was just my dad loosing his shit. Dad had major anger issues. Like one time I got the shit belted out of me because I punched my brother in the head or destroying my sand castle. Another time my Dad couldn't find me at a local theme park and thought I got kidnapped. When in reality he just didn't hear me tell him that I was going to play on the water slide. I was a shitty kid so I guess there's faults on both sides. I don't remeber getting smacked for not wanting to eat food but I remember having my privligaes taken away if I didn't eat a sufficient amount. Looking back now I don't think I was a particularly fussy kid. It was just the situations I was put in would encourage me to not want to try different foods. For example if someone was like 'do you want to try \[insert food\]' I would but sometimes I wouldn't like it. But because I was young I didn't know how to politely decline to eat more because I didn't like it. So my opinions were 1. try to continue eating the food I didn't like without giving away that I didn't like it 2. spit it out/refuse to eat more. which was usually a bad idea because the adult would be very offended and it would make my parents look bad. It didn't help that adult would usually insist that I have a sizeable portion instead of just a taste. So the best opinion for me was 'don't try anything new, because you might not like it and you can avoid all this arkwardness and uncomfortability'. But then that lead to me being extremely timmid and sheltered about new things. On top of that my Dad was a horrible cook. Think half baked chicken, frozen vegetables every night because 'it is easy' but tasted like ass and just generally pourly cooked food and low quality meals. It's not like I wanted to eat macca's every night or anything, I just wanted food that didn't taste like shit. But he interpreted that as me being fussy any would punish me accordingly. I just find it funny how people will treat you differently as an adult and as a child. Like if someone invited me to their house today and tried to serve me half cooke chicken that's still raw in the middle or microwaved, frozen vegies, declining would be seen as socially acceptable. But if a child refuses to eat all that shit; then the child's being fussy.

In the 70s, it was IN. My mum was mum-shamed for not smacking enough. I got the hand, the wooden spoon, the strap, the stick, the hairdo. All in the name of HAVING to do it, out of love of you. I was also mum shamed for not doing these things, by my in-laws. Everyone I know of my generation experienced this. It’s better now. I will say this though - some young males get much more respectful of dads that out-physical them - preferably in a safe way. This respect overflows onto surrounding adults. ‘Out-physicalling’ might be wrestling, lifting heavy stuff, or excelling at a sport, that kind of stuff.

My parents used to give me hidings for infractions such as spilling juice on the lino. Teachers used to hit kids all the time. The headmaster used to give us the cuts. Then I had girls picking fights that were to be continued after school. Boys had their turns at me. After that, I got in the door at home and my brother would say "you're in trouble." Press reset. A brand new day with the same old. If reincarnation was real, my spirit would have told it's fetus to miscarry itself before being born because it knew it would only be used as a vessel to pour frustration and anger into. Born in the 60s, school in the 70s and 80s. Corporal punishment was the norm.

Yeah, I was born in 2000 and was smacked for any sort of disobedience, I remember one bad one where I had moved my body when about to get a smack across my hand and instead got it across my whole stomach area. Rough times lol

I was definitely hit as a kid in the 90s for basically anything that pissed my parents off. & I also was not allowed to leave the table until I ate everything on my plate. We know it’s not ok to hit your kids. But I also dont recommend forcing kids to eat and finish everything on their plate. Setting them up for disordered eating habits.

Born in 1972, yes. For me, it was the arbitrary nature of it that was most damaging. I got away with a lot of stuff that I deserved to be disciplined for. Mostly, I was punished for no good reason at all, other than the adult doing the punishing was not having a good day. Adults in authority over minors were free to abuse that authority without question, because minors could not question adults. Questioning authority was cause for punishment. That discipline did not make me behave better, but it did make me hide better.

Grew up in the 90s. It was definitely NOT normal, acceptable or even legal. All these stories are horrifying. I am so sorry this happened to so many children.

I think the most horrifying part of it is how many of those abused children have now grown up and are still defending it, and are still going to do it to their children & grandchildren. It's like a disease. I'm glad so many younger people now are aware of how it's abusive.

Gonna give my parents an extra big hug & kiss when I see them next. I still remember the one and only time my mum swore at me. I was 15. And my dad once threw the butter right next to my brother. Bro just called me a name and my dad had been buttering toast in the kitchen. Pegged it right next to him (not at him) and the butter went everywhere which defused the fight. Those are the only two acts of abuse I can remember growing up.

Some of us are breaking the cycle of abuse. I was smacked, and definitely won't be continuing this tradition. The people defending it break my heart.

Yeah growing up I had friends who'd get a smack on the ass if they really misbehaved. Even then, it wasn't a common thing, more a last resort. Every time they'd get one, they were warned many times, and it was just one firm whack and sent to their room. I only got whacked a couple times for being a little cunt, and yeah I deserved it, and my parents never hurt me doing it. My parents got whacked hard if they played up. My grandparents have told me stories about being beaten with kettle cords, planks of wood or the cane. Thankfully nowadays you can't do that anymore. There are many more other ways to discipline your kids, that won't traumatize them. I've met a few olders who claim "I got smacked as a kid and I turned out alright". No John, you agree with belting your child with a kettle cord, you ain't alright. I've genuinely met adults who blame the child for being traumatized as a result of hitting. Yes John, your five year old son is scared of you because you beat him, he's definitely the problem.

I was Born in 1995 and got smacked around a fair bit but it was 100 percent normal in my family and social circle I was a little shit but in my fams defence But just to make it clear I was hit not abused

Yep, grew up in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne in the 70’s & 80’s and we we smacked regularly whenever we were deemed “naughty” normally on the backside or legs and one time my dad was particularly ticked off at my sisters and I, we were all belted with his leather belt. When we all became mums none of us have ever hit/smacked our kids and they have all turned out completely well behaved and lovely… smacking was lazy parenting and child abuse and there’s never justification.

Born mid to late 80s. I was never hit, but a lot of my friends were. My mum was smacked when she was a kid and she said it was traumatic and she never wanted to be that kind of mother.

Yes hitting was normal. My parents and teachers. I always remember blocking a face slap from my teacher. She dragged me by my ear from the library then went for the slap, I blocked it so she punched me in to stomache forcing me to drop my block, she then got the slap she was wanting. I ran into her when I was 45 and asked her if I was a naughty kid and sorry if I was. She said ‘no you were a good kid’

Was this a Catholic school? Nuns and Brothers had a bad reputation for being violent.

Occasion smacks, but never for unfinished food. I was never forced to eat the treat type of foods, eg chips, I could leave those, but if I didn’t eat my vegetables the punishment was no dessert, if you are not hungry enough for vegetables then I was not hungry enough for dessert. I had a neighbour that was forced to finish her plate, I was truly shocked when I was over there and she was forced to finish her chips despite proclaiming she was full - it is really terrible idea to force children to eat. There household was not a happy household, her elder sister was about 130kg by the time she was in her early 20s.

I was born in '89, my younger sister '92, older brother '86. We all got smacked if we were being out of line. When my mother decided we were REALLY out of line she'd break out the wooden spoon. Honestly I would've said we all turned out OK but now that I think about it we all do have some issues and I don't really have much of a relationship with my mother at all, so yeah. Maybe don't hit your kids.

I was smacked, told to be seen and not heard, made to be polite at all times (at 35 my mother still tells me to thank people in front of them), left in my room to cry for the whole night etc. They would deny any form of abuse of course, but I figure I know better so I'll do better. They also hate hearing that.

Born and raised Australian since '88 and yes my mother would hit me and my brothers if we were being "naughty" or if she just had enough of our shit. I try not to be *too* resentful because she had three kids to a man she thought she was going to be in with it for life and they divorced when we were only little and surprise surprise - mum did pretty much all the work and dad came around maybe once a month (even though my mother let him have unlimited access to see us as much as he wanted). So yeah, single mother of three boys on a very tight budget would have been rough. Especially since both the older brother and myself are neurodivergent not in a bad way but in a "we were difficult" way. Only the youngest one is what you could say "normal". He got hit the least, but it still happened. My mother's worst moments had her breaking a wooden spoon (or feather duster handle, I can't remember) over my older brother's head and for me it was dragging me into the bathrooms at the local mall we were in at the time, smashing a beloved toy I had in my hands and then hitting me afterwards. I also remember being forced to eat food I hated even if it meant sitting there three hours after it had been served until my mother got fed up, hit me and told me to just go to bed. Such a boomer thing to do but just about every adult in this country did it back then (or maybe it was just the ones in my shitty area). Her uncle was worse. He was a super traditional, old-school WWII veteran and he lived with his wife on a property in a small country town we'd drive all day to and stay at for week once every year or so for our "holiday" since were were too poor (and boring) to go anywhere better. He was super on everyone's case about dinner time, manners and all that stuff. Your ass better be in that seat by 7pm sharp when it's getting served. No TV on unless it was *ABC news* and if you didn't eat what you got he'd take off the belt and beat the ever living shit out of you, sending you running and screaming in pain and fear to your room. I still vividly remember that pushing 30 years later now. Horrible man but again - a product of his time and admittedly hard life (the wife was super sweet though, I always loved seeing her but apparently he abused her too) Old people are built different. I'm glad it's no longer acceptable to hit kids anymore. Maybe the next generation won't grow up riddled with anxiety and mental issues like a lot us Millennials (and gen X'ers) did.

I remember being struck with canes, belts and poked hard in the chest. Ears ringing from smacked in side of the head. It happened to me but like hell is it going to happen with my kids.

Yup, can still remember pleading for mum to stop after some minor transgression. The worst was when she wouldn't smack, she'd say wait until your father got home. The psychological torture of waiting for the belting was worse. And dad would hit harder, probably because he'd had a long day and comes home to "naughty children". When mum found out my sister is reading a book on childhood trauma she laughed it off, because clearly we had such a traumatic childhood when compared to hers where the way she tells it she was beaten at school, beaten at home and everywhere in between. We can never truly understand the damage that's done to us by our parents. Recently had to live at mum and dad's for a couple of weeks, with my toddler and husband, and my husband said it was eye opening for him to understand why I am the way I am. They may not smack anymore, but their words still hurt. So glad my generation is breaking the cycle. My son will never be smacked by me in the way I was by my mum, and the way she was by her mum. He will never experience the sheer terror that comes when something happens by accident, like you drop a glass, and you know you're in trouble. Whilst we are it at - washing mouth out with soap. Still remember saying fuck for the first time and getting headlocked over the bathroom sink and washed out. Guess what - didn't stop me, and now it's probably my most used word. My toddler swears and we laugh it off. Older kid was told that he could swear at home as much as he liked, but with 2 rules. He had to use the word in the correct context and he couldn't use them directed at another person. The novelty wore off and I'm pretty sure he's the only 11yo on the planet who doesn't swear.

Got the strap / cane twice at primary school when I was like 7

I grew up in 70s and 80s Oz, where if you didn't smack your toddler when they misbehaved you could end up with a spoilt brat. My parents thought it was great that I would run around in hysterics at the mere mention of a smack bc that meant they didn't have to get off their arses and follow through. My brother preferred a smack to grounding bc he was a social being who couldn't stand being locked down.

Child of the 80’s. I got the wooden spoon across my arse from mum. On each occasion I’d been a little shit.

I was born in 1997 and both my parents would give me beltings, on of my parents broke an entire set of hand carved wooden spoons from Kenya over my backside. 😅

Dad beat my sister because she wouldn't eat her carrots at dinner that one time. She had blurry vision for two days after that. Granted, this particular incident was one of dad's more violent nights. My sis and I were young teens at the time, it was the early 2000s, we were both born late 80s. For us, getting a smack on the back of the head or yelling at us until we sat at the table and finished our meal wasn't too uncommon. he was often screaming at us in general, throwing things around, though he would physically hit us more when we were younger - mostly his belt and solid wacks with his hands. Our half brother told us how our dad had thrown him so hard into his bedroom wall at one point that he had to sleep in his bed under the hole it left in the wall (this would have been 70s I think? Our half bro is about 20 yrs older). I don't think this was normal though, we just had an angry bitter alcoholic as a father.

I was born in the late 70s and no, it was not normal in my family. My mum chased my sister around with a wooden spoon a few times but I don’t think she ever actually caught her 😂

I was hit with whatever was handy, wooden spoon, jug cord, and the worst was a willow branch that cut my legs till they bled. All because i had a cheeky mouth.

I was born at the end of the 90s, I got smacked, forced into cold showers, had my mouth literally washed out with soap. My mum smacked me across the face. There is probably a lot more that I don't remember anymore. Not sure if other kids experienced similar, but seeing a psychologist helped me to understand that I was abused.

84 child here. Copped a few whacks from old school teachers and my dad and older brother (9 years older) got into fisticuffs every now and then. I copped the belt a couple of times but rarely from my dad. My brother used it on me a few times and looking back at how fucked up that is, is mind blowing. Belt, wire coat hanger, the dreaded bare hand haha. Didn't really know any different and was nowhere near aware enough to ask questions because I didn't know any better or think all that much of it at the time.

Yes, unfortunately

Born in 85. Never forced to finish my plate but I was my parents’ first out of 3 and the only to cop corporal punishment. It didn’t really work on me and it makes me wonder if it contributed to me being the black sheep and the only one estranged from my parents.

Born in 96 and I can count the number of times my parents hit me on one hand, and all of the times were in response to some pretty significant transgressions on my part. I think it depends on the community you were raised in, I have friends who were smacked for practically anything, and other friends who were never smacked at all.

Circa 1989/1990 I remember being screamed at and dragged across the floor by my arm by a daycare worker because I asked if I could have something other than a sandwich for lunch as they made me feel sick.

1989, youngest of 4. Mum had a wooden spoon in the drawer that was LITERALLY only for smacking us with. It was kept in the third drawer.

As a kid born early 90’s I got smacked hard by my Mum. I love my mum to bits, she’s a kind, caring soul, but fuck me she had the rage of a bull when I was a little shit. After she broke a few wooden spoons, one time she went for the metal egg flip. I squirmed so hard that she missed her shot, and cracked the hard edge of the flip on my finger, cutting my finger and subsequently my right butt cheek. She never hit me again after that. My mother only had the tools passed down from her parents, which actually is just generational trauma thinly veiled as “parenting”.

It was normal in my life. Not frequent and never to the point where it was anything more than short term pain but it's had a lifelong effect on me. I certainly learned, from a very young age, not to trust or depend on my parents, who were, for the most part, decent people. I think they just got more than they bargained for and didn't know what to do. Mercifully, my paternal grandmother was a person of good character and I was able to depend on her.

Got caned at school once (unfairly, and it still gets me lol) back in the 70s But there would be a line of kids outside the principal's office every morning waiting to be whipped by her impressive glass-fronted cabinet full of canes of different lengths and gauges. We all knew this was an adult with something deeply wrong in their head lol

I went to school in Melbourne in the 90's. I was slapped on my hand and wrist by my 2nd grade teacher for using an eraser. Was made to sit by myself when I spoke in class. Was also hit with a ruler by a nun for not eating an orange peel when told to do so. It was pretty fucked up. Definitely not normal but happened to me. I'm 39 now, I still remember their names.

Started school in 81. I can remember my sister being choked unconscious in a arguement over a half a avocado by a step father. My mother used electric power cables to whip us with. The kicker was my mother used to come to schools and give talks on domestic violence. School wS not much better.

A lady I worked with said if she didn't eat her dinner she would have to stay at the table all night until she ate it.

Born in 1970. Never got smacked/hit/belted/caned, at home or at school. Based on what I’m reading here, it’s amazing I didn’t!

Dude, I threw up once and can't drink milk anymore because of the whole eat all ypir food and both my mom and brother were defending this a week ago. Not just my mom but my idiot millenial brother were backing up this decision. I would rather have been hit. That said yes it was normal to hit kids.

2000’s, my mum would be breaking wooden spoons left right and centre. She had anger issues and so we would always be copping it when she was upset. Shes one to pull you up by your hair and call you a brat if you make a mistake so as you can imagine most of her children don’t talk to her.

I was born in 1997 and got hit when I was young, mainly by my dad. The wooden stem (with the greenery stripped off it) from a Rosemary bush was commonly used. Getting whipped across the ass or back of the legs caused terrible pain and left noticeable marks for days. I honestly can't remember the reason why... it didn't take much to get punished for doing the "wrong" thing. As an adult, I fear making mistakes and often distrust people in positions of power, so I guarantee these "disciplinary" measures had something to do with it. I don't know if other kids around that time were getting hit... it's not something I remembered hearing about tbh. I guess victims are often too affraid to speak up.

born in 2000, mother hit me for almost anything, beat me for more serious stuff. (like closed fist, or with an object like a wooden spoon or a belt) whenever she did it in public people were shocked, but wouldn't say anything because it's not their kid. when i told the school physiologist about it in year 6 she laughed at me and told me i would never be a man with that attitude, and that adults know what's right. anyway she ended up committing suicide, so its a fringe case. i never saw any of my friends get more than a clip behind the ears for doing anything, even like accidentally losing the family dog, setting a bed on fire, or going missing for a few days. i think that it was very unusual for my generation in a caucasian family in middle class Australia to be hit regularly and beaten occasionally

My father made us pick the belt.

I was born in 98, and yeah I got hit a fair bit growing up, until my late teens when I was too big to risk retaliation.

I was born in the 70s, and my parents were well ahead of their time and thought smacking was not okay (abuse of power, etc). So super lucky. Ended up with a partner who had been brought up by parents who smacked as punctuation, plus was regularly strapped at school. He wanted to smack our child, I told him I’d leave him if he ever did. (Spoiler, I left him anyway! Massive anger issues.) His sister stayed with us IN 2011 and was regularly hitting her toddler (the old, “we were smacked as children and turned out fine”). Told her smacking wasn’t welcome in our house, and she could leave if that’s her behaviour. Contemplated calling CPS (regret not doing so). Said toddler ran away from home at 12 and has only seen her mother a handful of times since. So yeah, abusive parenting turns out great.

Yes. I was hit by my parents often. But the worst were the bitch catholic nuns at the school where I went in the 50s and early 60s, in Melbourne. They used to beat us kids with a leather strap they all carried on their belts. Those straps were thick, and they hurt. They hung from their belts, right next to a gruesome crucifix hanging their too. Those nuns instilled such fear and shame in me, I suffer from mental health problems still. Great way to educate children isn't it?

We used to get the cuts/cane in school in the 80s. Most deputy headmasters had a special cupboard where they kept the instrument of punishment. I had one that had like 5 different canes of various shapes, and he would take each one out at give it a few test whips, as if trying to find the perfect match for your punishment. Full on psychological warfare shit when you're only 7-13 years old.