Parents feel terrible after hitting their children

Mary Marsh, NSPCC

The charity commissioned the survey as part of its Hitting Must Stop campaign launched this week.

NSPCC director Mary Marsh said: "Our research shows that a majority of parents do not believe that punishing children by hitting them is the right thing to do.

"Parents feel terrible after hitting their children. They clearly need and want alternatives."

She said more should be done to "help parents take the pain out of parenting, for their sake and that of their children."

Repeat behaviour

The survey, carried out by Mori, involved telephone interviews with 1,600 parents in the UK.

It revealed that 79% of parents who physically punish their children feel upset afterwards.

It also found that seven out of 10 parents who were hit as children were more likely to repeat the behaviour with their own children.

More than half - 57% - said physical punishment was the wrong way to discipline children.

Even among those who admitted to hitting their children there was a 44% agreement that it was not the best action to take.

The NSPCC is launching a booklet called Encouraging Better Behaviour: A Practical Guide To Positive Parenting.

'Anger and frustration'

It suggests alternatives using positive techniques such as explaining, negotiating and setting limits.

Parents who were not physically punished as children were far less likely to hit their own son or daughter, the survey found.

Ms Marsh said despite the feelings of remorse, many parents are still hitting - lashing out in anger or frustration.

The charity is calling for a sustained, multi-million pound public education campaign to help parents discipline their children without resorting to hitting.

It also believes there should be should be greater investment in parenting programmes and law reform to protect children from violence in the same way as adults.