TV personality Nick Ferrari today weighed in the discussion surrounding the smacking ban in England, saying that the government should not be able to dictate how parents raise their children.
Speaking during a discussion on This Morning with Allison Hammond, Dermot O’Leary and Gyles Brandreth, the Sidcup-born presenter explained his position, despite being personally against using physical punishment.
‘When an adult starts hitting a child you have lost the argument,’ he said.
‘For me, I had two sons. It would be taking them out of the situation, actually leaning down at their level so then it was eyes on eyes.
‘I would explain why it was unacceptable. But I do not like the idea that the government has total control of how we bring up our children.
‘I think there should be laws in place not to allow you to go back to the days of Billy Bunter, but I don’t know the government have the right to tell me how to raise my child.’
TV personality Nick Ferrari today weighed in the discussion surrounding the smacking ban in England, saying that he does not know that the government has the right to tell him how to raise his child
Speaking during a discussion on This Morning, he said laws should be in place to allow England not to go back to the days of Billy Bunter but that he does not think the government have the right to tell him how to raise his child
The group were discussing the fact that Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi had yesterday rejected calls for there to be a ban on parents smacking children in England.
He had said that the decision to smack children should be left up to parents and revealed that his wife Lana occasionally gave their daughter a ‘light’ smack on the arm.
It comes after Wales last month made any type of corporal punishment including smacking, hitting, slapping and shaking illegal in the country.
And Scotland introduced a similar ban in November 2020.
The group were discussing the fact that Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi had yesterday rejected calls for there to be a ban on parents smacking children in England
In this morning’s discussion, the panellists revealed their own parenting methods, with Allison Hammond saying that she likes the ‘naughty step.’
Meanwhile, Gyles revealed that using a fierce voice was an effective method in his case, which ‘terrified the children’.
He added that he would say: ‘No, no, no stop it’, which he labelled ‘quite straightforward.’
Gyles discussed his own childhood, saying that he belonged to a different generation, being brought up in the 1950s.
He also referenced the television show, The Adventures of Billy Bunter, in which the protagonist was beaten in every episode but people laughed about it.
Calling it a ‘totally different world’ he said that the era he grew up in involved grandparents and parents who believed in ‘gentle chastisement’.
In this morning’s discussion, the panellists revealed their own parenting methods, with Allison Hammond saying that she likes the ‘naughty step’
Referring back to Nadhim Zahawi’s words he said: ‘What he is saying is that occasionally within a household you will tap a child.’
Allison said that the point at which a parent hits a child is when they have lost control and you are no longer in control.
Nick then discussed his own parenting, saying that he would explain why his children’s behaviour was wrong at their eye level.
But said he does not believe that the government should dictate how someone brings up their child.
Allison and Dermot then rounded off the discussion. They too discussed their childhoods and the differences in parenting.
Gyles Brandreth revealed that he would often use a ‘fierce’ voice with his children when they were younger as a parenting method
Dermot said sometimes a wooden spoon would come out and he and his sister would run.
Meanwhile Allison said she had lots of ‘boxes around the ear’ when she was younger.
But all panellists agreed that smacking is unnecessary and Gyles said that he can agree with it being banned.
The NSPCC yesterday told the i that changing the law is ‘more important than ever.’
Joanna Barrett, the charity’s associate head of policy said: ‘With the cost of living crisis, families continue to be under enormous stress which can affect relationships.
‘That means it’s now more urgent than ever to address this.’
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