Before children hit The Age of Reason - about age 3, I think a swat to the buttocks to get their attention is warranted. Same goes for dog training and breaking horses.
I can remember the TWO times my Dad ever hit me. Both were warranted and both saved me from bodily harm.
Thanks, Dad! I’m so GLAD you didn’t go to the Arthur McGowan School for Loser Parents, LOL! ;)
Just yankin’ your chain. But, I think you’re painting with too broad a brush.
Between the ages of 3 and 6. No instruments, just a hand on the butt, only for serious not thinking offenses. Some never need it. Three out of four of my kids did need it. Still have one kid under 6 but haven’t spanked her much at all.
There is no need to spank a kid after 6 or after they reach the intellectual age of 6. I have one special needs child who wasn’t “six-ish” until about 9-10.
I’m glad the gendarmes now have another great excuse to stay out of the no go zones.
Spanking can be usefully used for more than “attention getting.” In fact, I would say that I had my kids’ attention BEFORE I spanked them.
I used spanking to painfully physically reinforce the lesson I was imparting. I used it rarely, but forcefully. Probably ten times or less on the boy and five times or less on the daughter. Left minor red welts each and every time. Both children are now in their early 30’s, happily married to good spouses of the opposite sex, one is very gainfully employed for a major private university and the other is a career officer in the USAF. They both love their parents and are great kids in every way, and apparently doing a good job of raising their own kids.
Whether spanking did or did not contribute to their success or whether it damaged them, cannot be known at this date.