have y ever hit you children when they get trouble..?

I smacked my daughter on the bottom only once and I was haunted by guilt. I admit, I shout at her sometimes but I am trying really hard to at least minimize it or better to stop it. I believe that spanking is not effective. Children who are spanked may refrain from repeating a misdemeanor rather than risk a repeat spanking, but they obey only out of fear. Instead of learning to differentiate between right and wrong, they only learn to differentiate between what they get spanked for and don't get spanked for. And they rarely learn self-discipline. I don't like to hit my kid because it sets a violent example. It can also lead to serious injury particularly when it happens in the heat of anger.

I am against hitting altogether. I never used a cane. There are times, when they push me to a corner, i have nothing else to do. But still i dont hit. To my 8 yr old boy, i will give a small pat on his arm, for my 4 yr old girl, i will start tickling. Thats the best way which i learned from a friend of mine on myLot. But i have to confess, i shout at them. But, they are good kids you know plus they are only kids. Sure you have to give them a lot of margin. As parents, we should be able to control OUR anger before punishing them. The best punishment dont let him do some thing he likes to do. THis works like a charm.