Oh I always have and always will speak with them. And you bring up a valid point about the age thing, however I've told each one of my three sons if you ever strike a woman you'd better not call me from jail because I'll be waiting outside with a baseball bat. The threat is not entirely tongue in cheek. Luckily I think the chances of my boys (or daughter for that matter) being abusive to their mates is a million to one.

As I mentioned, children do not think "if I run out in the street I will get hit by a car." To them the possibility of that does not exist in their reality. But the fact that they will get a spanked does exist. As my grandmother used to say, you cannot put an old head on young shoulders. This means you cannot expect a child to act like an adult. When they are older, hopefully they are wise enough to know that running out in the street is dangerous (plus they're bigger so driver can see them). They know not to play with fire and that outlets are for electrical plugs only. The world is a very dangerous place for a toddler/child.

And there is something to be said about more dire consequences for actions that cause others danger as well. The situation that you spoke of is taken too lightly in our society. Every day I drive my son to school, every day I see idiots slamming on their breaks at stops signs to fish tail around the corner, kids talking on their cells and not paying attention to road conditions and kids walking around them. We drove from Michigan to California two years ago and seeing what the semi drivers were doing while pulling 2 and 3 trailers outraged me. One guy had a cell in one hand and a sub in another while his 3rd trailer was going on and off the road. If it were up to me these people would never drive a lawn mower again, let alone a vehicle.

I think we take a great many things too lightly in this country. My kids not only have to follow the laws of this country, they have to answer to their father and myself. This is very effective. My brother and I were talking about this and he made the comment that there were things he wouldn't do as an adult in California thousands of miles from my parents because he was afraid that my father would find out. Chances were slim to none but still there. I have never tried an illegal drug because I was afraid of what my father would do.

My parents did not have an age expiration. When I was 17 years old my father was angry about something I had done and was able to pull my up out of a chair by my ankle and slap me on the butt. I would have never dreamed of hitting him back. I think the age a smack on the butt becomes ineffective depends upon the child. I just asked one of my 15 year olds if he'd rather have a smack on the butt or unplugged (no electronics) the next time he's punished. Can you guess which one he chose?