[GunMaster357]

While I don't have kids, I've been around the critters for quite some time. My cousins are quite prolific (their kids will probably become parents in 3 or 4 years from now) and my brother is the proud father of a 14 months son.

I see a lot of people screaming at their kids at the beach, the mart, theater, etc... And every time, it is something like : "Keep doing that, and you'll get a spanking".

Well, after the twentieth time in as many minutes, the kid knows with certainty it'll never come. Hence the reasonning : "I can do whatever I want, I'll never be punished".

There's no need to even leave a bruise, just one spank that stings enough without being harmful, and that kid will learn that there are rules, that breaking them brings retaliation.

After that, you have to explain the why, quickly if the kid is young, a bit later if not.

Problem is that some parents do not seem to be equiped for the job. Unfortunately, the job of a parent is, as my mother puts it, the only one for which you are not asked qualifications.