[Achtes]

Alright, so first off. I'm taking Introduction to Psychology (rockin' class, dudes!). We were taking a little opinion quiz and one of the questions struck up a conversation...to hit or not to hit?

The question posed the notion that children who are given the occasional slap learn obedience better. One girl found it horrific that anyone would slap their child. I, however, found it to be completely natural.

Now, before you go getting the wrong idea about me, I'm not talking full-on slap...I mean one that's enough to get the point across, but not enough to actually hurt (mentally or physically).

My teacher told us how he believed it was wrong for fathers to hit little girls. I can agree with that on some level, because I agree it is wrong to hit any child in that manner. However, I don't see the occasional "slap on the wrist" to be really all that bad. Children don't develop a sense of danger until the age of eight or so. Let's say for a moment your five-year-old son/daughter runs across the street without looking and narrowly avoids being hit by a car (you should be watching them, but we're talking hypothetically). Merely telling them not to do something like that doesn't usually get the point across. However, being reprimanded is another story. They know that if they do this again, mommy/daddy will "get mad" and they tend to refrain from doing it again.

I would just like to know your take on the matter, seeing as it became such an interesting conversation. Also...the response here might be a bit better, methinks, seeing as the people I sit around don't shut up. Dx