Oh-- and one more thing. While we are not parents that are necessarily putting any "tool" off the table (physical punishment included), there comes a time when one must decide whether one's goal as a parent is punishment, or is it discipline?

There is a major difference between those two things. One of them is about control and an imbalance of power-- the other is about love and training.

Kids know the difference. If you feel yourself sliding toward punishment (and wow, can intense kids ever PUSH you there) then I find that it is time for ME to take a little "time out" to regroup and rethink my big picture.

I'm not trying to "win" disagreements with my child. I'm trying to train her to be a healthy human being. BIG difference. smile Punitive measures are not as effective for the latter, just in general.

Schrödinger's cat walks into a bar. And doesn't.