[Cerek the Barbaric]

Originally posted by Skunk: I guess that, if you were caught speeding, you wouldn't mind if the cop just slapped you around a bit - rather than hand you a speeding ticket? Kids work out (all by themselves) what is and is not fair in life - and behave/react accordingly.

That is a completely irrelevant comparison, but what the heck, I'll go with it. IF physical punishment were the "penalty" for speeding, then I may not enjoy it, but I certainly would expect it.

The problem with your arguments, Skunk, is that you equivicate a "smack on the bottom" with "smacking the child around". These are two totally different circumstances but you refuse to see past that. Very well, that is your choice.

You also consistently ignore that all of the members advocating physical punishment also state that it is normally not the FIRST form of punishment the child receives, and ALL have agreed that it is important to sit down and explain what the child did wrong and why they were punished.

Timber said it best - when my children get spanked, they already KNOW what they did wrong, but I explain it to them again to reinforce it. As for slapping, I have never "slapped" any of my children. The only time they have ever been swatted anywhere other than the butt or back of the leg was once when my middle son kept kicking me in a fit of anger while I tried to change his diaper. I finally grabbed his foot and smacked the bottom of it (after he had kicked me with his heel about 4 times). The shock caused him to finally quit what he was doing.

The point is that both of my older boys do know the rules and have had them explained exhaustively to them. Because of this, I rarely have to spank them any more. As I mentioned before, if they won't stop a certain behavior, all I have to do is remind them that they will get a spanking if they don't stop immediately. That usually ends the incident right there with no punishment of any type having to be handed out.