re: Is it wrong to spank your kids in public?

I don't have any kids of my own, I got my arse tore up when I did something grievous, I don't hate my parents, I hold no ill will towards them, I learned my lessons through pain and tried like hell to not repeat my behavior.

You can tell little Johnny "don't stick your hand in that flame" till you're blue in the face, but until he burns himself, he'll never understand why you were telling him that. Some lessons are learned through pain, some lessons are learned through nurture. I don't think spanking is the end all be all when it comes to child discipline, but it is an effective tool that when used properly can be of a benefit to both you and your child.

Now, my dad told me recently what his father said to him when my oldest brother got to the age where spanking was acceptable. He said "If you tell your son that if he does 'x' one more time that he's gonna get a whipping and he does it again, you'd better keep your promise and whip him. Kids see more than you think and they'll see that as a weakness on your part and think they're in control."

I think that was a good piece of advice and it worked on me because after I got my arse whipped a few times I started listening.