Original Air Date: April 14, 2008

I regularly use a Taser on my kids. Works well.
Teaches the little buggers a lesson. The question is, should you?

Truth be told, I rarely spank my kids. But I
have, and still do occasionally, slap their hands when they do something really
wrong.

I still remember, when I first slapped the hand of
my little four year old very lightly, she looked at her hand, then up at me, and
started to cry, and I felt terrible. But is there a better alternative?

There are many opinions on smacking kids. Some say it
teaches them violence. Others want to have if officially outlawed in various
countries and even prosecute parents who do.

My own view:

• In general, corporal punishment is a bad idea, but sometimes, in extreme circumstances, when child is really out of control, necessary.
• Smacking your child on the hand is about as far as you should go, and again, only under extreme circumstances, like the child has run into the street and hasn’t listened or has been extremely insolent.
• Once children are over, say, 8 or 9, then slapping on hand is always a bad idea. Because by then there are other punishments you can implement in extreme circumstances that will also bring the child under control.

• Go to your room
• To a corner, time-out.
• Depriving them of a toy or a promised prize.
• Severe verbal scolding.

Beating a child, while wrong in and of itself, is
not only counter-productive in the extreme but also exhibits total loss of
control and causes the child to rebel.


Today’s Shmuleyism: Corporal punishment is generally
a bad idea but slapping a small child on the hand is at times necessary in
extreme circumstances to communicate to the child that he or she has crossed an
uncrossable line. Still, it should be used sparingly and other forms of
punishment, like a time-out, should be sought.