Punishment is pointless. It fails to achieve its
goal. No child says to themselves, while being
punished, "I'm going to improve.
Lexi,
paleeeze,you're becoming over-academic. Of course no "child" will think that. No "child" is advanced sufficiently to think that. No"child" does think that. What every"child" will take notice of is the fact that it will learn very rapidly & remember for good that if doing wrong results in some discomfort from a slap. Period !
Juveniles on the other hand require a severe talking to in addition to some physical discomfort before they think of doing wrong. They'll always find a way of getting around doing wrong once they know it doesn't result in punishment. Punishment is Nature's Law !

@Lexi

I respect your views.
But will you respect mine and not report me to the authorities?

shalom

Dear Platypus,

I have never reported anyone to the authorities.
I do have another question for you.
Why do you keep wishing me - "Shalom?" - not that
there's anything wrong with wishing me "peace,"
but it's usually a Jewish greeting and -
I am not Jewish.

Dear Individual,

You miss the point entirely.

Our goal as parents is to instruct, to teach, to help our
children develop self-discipline. Punishment at best
only teaches an obedience to authority - not self control.
It may restrain them from doing wrong temporarily but
it doesn't teach them to do right, or make them wish to do it.
And it certainly isn't apropriate to punish children
under three, because they really can't either evaluate
or control their own actions very well.

Lexi,
I don't think you're making the connection & distinction between punishment & instilling discipline.

Dear Individual,

I explained the connection sometime ago.
Go back and re-read - my post on page 8 of this discussion.
It will clarify things for you.