Reply #24: I agree that spanking for the second scenario is wrong, sometimes

[left is right]

and with certain children one swift spank on the bottom is necessary if the situation is one of danger. Twenty-five years ago when my children were 4/3, the younger one was hell-bent on destroying herself. If it was dangerous, she had to do it. She could unlock any lock; put her on the floor and she went straight for the plug covers and she could remove them faster than it took me to put them in. Take your eyes off her for a second and she was gone (Now, remember I had two under the age of 4, so attention gets divided.) Telling her about danger in a calm and rational manner only assured that she would try what ever the dangerous thing was. With 2nd child, the only thing that ever kept her safe was the knowledge that dangerous things brought pain. When the situation wasn't grave, I would turn my head (so I didn't have to watch the inevitable unfold) and just let it happened but I am not ashamed to say she got a few spanks. I did not have that problem with child number 1, so I didn't have to resort to that kind of thing with her.