[juju]

I have no experience in disciplining. I've only been on the receiving end. I'll tell you how I honestly feel about it, though.

I think that anyone who would rule through pain and fear is a vicious, sick dictator who has no compassion for the way their child feels afterwards. In every moral system that I have ever encountered, inflicting pain via torture is always evil.

Sure, it's a quick fix for the parent. They don't have to deal with the problem anymore, and by ignoring that their child is now in emotional agony, they can go on about their selfish business. But what have they actually taught the child? "Oh, he won't do THAT again! HA HA HA!" Fuck you! Inflicting pain is not love, it's evil. How about teaching them the reasons behind right and wrong instead?

Ugh. I'm so going to get flamed over this. In any case, when Sarah gets older, I've decided that I'l resort to spanking if I really have to, because there's a lot of things that I've already decided not to tolerate. Besides, violating a moral system is a not quite as bad as not having one at all. Discipline is important. But I'm going to try every other thing I can possibly think of first. It is a <i>last resort</i>.

uh.. sorry if I offended you. I have issues.