Oh, I appreciate your comment. I know you are always thoughtful and add greater perspective. I did gain the valuable insight of why black Americans slapping their children was substantially different that white parents in the South. White parents do not have the reasons black parents have in trying to save their children. I had a white girlfriend from my year in Mississippi who told me her white father made her cross the room and then hit her with the belt when she didn't used sir or mam. I found that extremist. It was to teach respect, but instead it teaches violence.

I experienced the other end of the spectrum when my younger of my two daughters came home from her pre-school day care, and when I told her she can't have a sweet, took a few steps, hit my leg and called me a bad daddy. Wow, she changed so suddenly. It was partly learned from school, but partly innate. My older daughter never exhibited such behavior. I did not hit back. Instead, I told her, "There's no hitting in our house." Did that work? With a three and four and five year old? Not real, but I persisted as There is no hitting in our house. It's frustrating. I am on the fringe of being a pacificst who doesn't believe in hitting children perhaps, and know the endurance of resistance of my instincts not to act out with a slap is not easy. There is a difference of course between a parent once in a while losing their cool and slapping or spanking, and the daily or weekly spanking and hitting done more routinely. Parents can be forgiven for the former, and I certainly do.

Thanks again for adding your perspective.