[laredo44]

Gershoff recommends that parents who are considering spanking a deserving kid "think of something else to do - leave the room, count to 10, and come back again."

Spanking is the mechanism through which a parent conveys to a child the message that society holds in reserve, a physical response that it is prepared to mete out for certain behaviors. All societies are prepared to apply force under certain conditions. Gershoff's recommendations are self-serving.

[avenir]

Excellent point. Why discipline? TO MAKE THE CHILD FIT FOR SOCIETY, for one. "Self-esteem" won't come from being handled passively by one's parents. That will be read as un-love by the child.