Following the House of Lords' Children Bill amendment, the tabloid told readers that they will still be able to smack their kids as long as they do not cause harm. "Smacking which causes bruising, cuts, swelling, skin to turn red or mental harm will be outlawed. Parents could be charged with actual bodily harm and possibly jailed."
Possibly is a good word. But armed with The Sun's guide, the idea was that readers could keep on the right side of the law. It included pictures showing legal and risky ways of clouting, bashing or whacking.
The underlying attitude is worrying. It is all about what parents can get away with. No discussion of the alternatives - just an analysis of how much hurt you can legally inflict. It is hard to see the difference between this and parents who deliberately hurt to leave no marks.
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