Here in Aotearoa New Zealand spanking children is illegal. When the law passed people forecast the sky would fall. Interestingly it did not.

The pithy quote that has really put it in perspective is:

"Is your child capable of listening to reason? If yes, then use reason, if no then why do you think they'll understand spanking?"

And now, in the throes of "terrible twos", I understand that. When she's in a tantrum, adding pain to it will not help and when she's not in a tantrum, we can generally talk through whatever it is.

@c_merriweather @johnzajac @SharpCheddarGoblin

My parents never hit me, and we never hit our son.

My school didn't use corporal punishment, though many in England did. Our headmaster said he didn't think people should hit girls and he couldn't have one rule for them and another for the rest of us

Other people will have to judge how well we all turned out.

Withering disappointment lasts forever

Physical violence has a shelf life and a correlation with posting "my kids won't talk to me" on Facebook

"I am deeply disappointed with your behavior."

My mother's disappointment is a far more potent tool than any spanking ever could be, and continues to be to this day 30 years later. Wild that folks don't understand this.