[Cerek the Barbaric]

Johnny - You are absolutely SPOT ON about most people changing their attitudes when they become parents themselves. I can't tell you how many times I've "eaten my words" regarding things I said I would NEVER allow my kids to do or that I would never do as a parent.

I have lost my temper with my boys before - even though I once swore that would never happen. I have also whipped them or yelled at them when I lost my temper. However, I have always gone back to them on those occasions and apologized to them and told them that "Daddy was wrong" to lose his temper, even though they were misbehaving.

I don't make excuses when the fault was mine. I admit that I was wrong. I do remind them that they shouldn't have been doing whatever they did to make me lose my temper in the first place, but I also let them know that I shouldn't have reacted the way I did.

As time has gone on, I find that I don't have to spank my children very much anymore. If absolutely nothing else will work, I find that just the threat of a spanking is usually sufficient to correct their behavior now.