Did you use any of that corporal punishment you mentioned in post #5? Or just the threat of it?
> Did you use any of that corporal punishment you mentioned in post #5?
At 18 months (not before) kids understand concepts like right and wrong, and by 24 months they can be masters at manipulation. So yes, I used corporal punishment from 18 months until they were five years old. After five there were much more effective remedies available.
In all, I think my kids were spanked on fewer than 4 occasions each. Done properly, it works just fine to correct bad behavior.
> Or just the threat of it?
I believe it is important to never *threaten* any form of punishment: threats become useless the instant they are not carried out. It only needs to happen once.
Punishment must instead be a natural and inevitable consequence.
As to corporal punishment (and as with any other form of punishment) it needs to be done fairly: I do not subscribe to parents slapping their kids, for instance. That is lashing out in a fit of temper: not carrying out punishment — which must always be done fairly and without anger or malice.