CONFUSION still reigns as to whether smacking children should be allowed.

Well, consider the facts. The television and papers are full of the evils committed not just by the older generation, but by uncountable numbers of the young, starting with petty crime of public nuisance to others i.e. graffiti, etc, on to more serious crimes, burglary, housebreaking and murder. The last one is not such a rarity these days.

Which comes back to a saying many may have heard -- give me the child and I'll give you the man.

Parents must teach toddlers and mould them into some kind of acceptable behaviour.

Of course, we know children sometimes overwhelm their mothers and fathers and in my opinion an occasional smack does no harm (not a hit) and is still the best answer to a misbehaving child.

I think it would be a quick solution to a tricky problem before things get out of hand altogether, as the 'soft option' is not always feasible.

ROSEMARY SPEDDING (Mrs), Oswald Street, Accrington.