1. Of course, spanking is out of fashion these days. I don't believe spanking for every little infraction is useful, it loses it's significance. My opinion has been to spank only in matters of life and death, or defiance and then you need to make it count. As children grow older, there are other ways to discipline that are more effective. Consistency and paying attention go a long way.'
2. You don't have to be very old for you children to start telling you what to do. It starts about the time you can't tell them what to do.
1. I love to read. I love to read old books. They have the words that no one uses anymore. You know, those long three and four syllable words that can take the place of a whole sentence. I don't always have a new word to use every year since I started about 20 years ago, but the ones I remember are exacerbate, obstreperous, recalcitrant, tenacious, gargantuan, and unfortunately I can't remember the one I used yesterday.
2. I believe this, too. Too many imposed rules, especially in raising children only results in said children wanting to 'jump over the traces.'
3. I have read a cute little children's book, something like this: Someone in the family starts out the day badly, perhaps the father. Then it's the mother yelling at the big sister and the big sister at the little brother and the little brother to the dog and so on, and nobody has a good day until the sun comes out and someone smiles and the days ends on a good note.
1. Yes
2. It's called "gentle parenting", in this day and age. I do believe in paying attention to what could be making children behave a certain way. Decisive action is sometimes necessary so that the parents are the ones in charge, not the child.
3. I don't read mysteries, horror stories, adult fiction, and several other things I can't put a name to.
I like to read children's books and any others that are tidily and happily wrapped up at the end.
I do enjoy reading non-fiction, history, medical, scientific, and things like that.