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'Give your kids a smack': Aussie model sparks debate with controversial photo

An Australian model has reignited the debate as to whether parents should “smack” their misbehaving children.

Sitting in a waiting room Jett Kenny posted a video to Instagram of a child throwing a box around the room as his mother watched on, choosing not to intervene.

The son of former swimming champion Lisa Curry-Kenny captioned the footage, “Give your kid a goddam smack”.

“Anyone else get smacked as a kid? I sure did if I was being nawty (sic),” he asked while giving his followers the chance to vote in a poll.

Model Jett Kenny posted video of a misbehaving child and asked his followers whether or not they were smacked as children. Image: Instagram/Jett Kenny
Model Jett Kenny asked his followers whether or not they were smacked as children. Image: Instagram/Jett Kenny
Jane Caro said there were better alternatives to smacking. Image: Sunrise on 7
Jane Caro said there were better alternatives to smacking. Image: Sunrise on 7

Social commentator Jane Caro said there are far more sophisticated ways of educating your children than resorting to physicality.

“Parents have a tough enough time now dealing with kids in public without random strangers… giving them gratuitous advice about how they should bring up their children,” she told Sunrise.

“I do think it would be really nice if people who were in public would be more supportive of parents when they’re dealing with their children.”

Mr Kenny’s followers responded to his poll, with 95 per cent saying they were smacked as child.

Nearly all of Jett Kenny’s followers said they were smacked as a child. Image: Jett Kenny / Instagram
Nearly all of Jett Kenny’s followers said they were smacked as a child. Image: Jett Kenny / Instagram