Corporal punishment

Kim du Toit comments on recent developments in Britain's Parliament regarding corporal punishment.

My siblings and I were subject to spankings when we were growing up. It was a powerful deterrent to unacceptable behavior. I think all three of us turned out alright. We certainly aren't abusive or violent. My brother and sister are happily married and I have a wonderful girlfriend. I've never hit a woman in my life.

Sometimes you just need to get it through a kid's head that what he or she is doing is unacceptable and you need to do it *right now*. You don't always have the ability to put the child in "time out" and threatening punishments such as grounding or denial of privileges doesn't have the immediacy of a swift swat on the bottom. I believe that corporal punishment, if done correctly, is an acceptable form of discipline and may even be indespensible.