Reply #50: An unqualified, it depends. No, a child should not be beaten ever. [View All]

[ScreamingMeemie]

And definitely not for wanting an ice cream. But, if the child breaks a glass window after being told not to play ball in the backyard, a swat on the behind is not going to cause lasting damage, IMO, in most cases. I did not suffer any mental problems due to being spanked (again, not beaten) as a child. I also did not grow up to spank (or beat) my own children. Just don't get me started on the evils of "time outs".

We use the lecture route at my house, with pretty decent results...combined with the reward system. Nothing is a given. Currently, my daughter is not responsible enough to keep her room clean, or take care of the cat. These are her only two jobs. She will be of age to take driver's training next year. So far, she has not earned our signature on that permission slip.