This is great having a conversation where everyone is accepting of our preferred parenting methods! Well done guys.

Personally I don't smack, I feel that times I am most frustrated are times I am most inclined to be irrational. So I try and take a deep breath, step back and realise it's me that's just being frustrated with her behaviour. I was smacked as a child, with implements too, I know it made me angry and resentful. So I always use distraction and it works fine for me - I know it's not always going to work as she gets older, but I would rather tell her what she's doing that is wrong and move on without making a fuss. She's always more likely to be naughty when she's bored, so I stop what I am doing and play with her and all seems to be fine. Having said that, she rarely is naughty and is very well behaved - it's mostly when I am here on the computer that she starts up as she wants me to be with her and play. Which I can fully understand.

Pinky McKay's article last month was fantastic for those who haven't read it yet, it's well worth the read: "How To Calm Down When Your Kids Wind You Up." It's all about how we react when our kids play up.