> You may be correct that there are better alternatives to giving a
> kid a few whacks in most cases. However, I still think it is
> appropriate in cases of really bad behavior when all else has
> failed.
Our premise was that causing physical pain was sometimes justified
when the kid did something likely to cause physical damage -- to
herself (since both our kids are female) or to others, but very
rarely in any other case.
So when a kid pried a safety cap out of an electrical outlet and
started probing with other devices -- we were determined that there
*would* be real, unpleasant physical consequences to her, but also
that the *natural* consequences were unacceptable in their
unpredictability and potential severity.
(On the other hand, we never spanked our kids with anything other
than the open hand. We figure that with a belt, if you really *know*
how hard you are hitting, you are getting too much practice.)
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