how the hell do you get them to stop hitting?

Agreed. I hate to say this, but sometimes a quick pop on the ass is really what works. I knew that if there were no negative consequences for my misbehavior when I was little, I could do whatever I wanted anyway.
I was punished with a combination of spanking and having my toys/privileges taken away- although at times I think my folks did overdo the spanking bit at times. (What loving parent whips their kid across the ass with a leather belt like a farm animal?)
I would receive a quick pop if I mouthed off at my parents or acted out in public.
If I misbehaved at school or at the babysitters I lost my tv or drawing privileges. If I wet the bed (to me this was just senseless since I couldn't control it) my parents would begin taking toys away and locking them up in a case in their room.

I have noticed that my behavior is a bit more polished than other 22-year-old persons. I am not shitty to people in public, I have a full-time job and am going to school. I pay for my phone and my truck. I buy all my own clothing, hygiene products, and event tickets. I am also paying for school myself. All this when other people my age are still worried about their boyfriend/girlfriend drama and can't even hold a part-time job or keep their phone turned on. Basically the only thing I don't pay for is my health insurance and my food.

Even I have noticed little kids throwing tantrums in public and I catch myself muttering something about "swat that little bastard on the ass"... God help me... I do the same thing with teens or young adults who act entitled to everything. "Mom and Dad shouldn't have let you get away with being a little rip."
I'm not saying that spanking should be an automatic response for misbehavior, because it shouldn't, but there are times when it is called for (and no- I don't mean a hauling-off-into-kansas-and-leaving-a-raised-welt spanking), and at my house, hitting/scratching people would have been grounds for a swat.

 

You where beaten with a belt and still think that beating has some place in civilized society? Interesting...

Taking away drawing "privilages".... what an awesome idea.

 

Hmm, I don;t know. I kind of consider myself quite childlike so I guess I was answering from a children's perspective. LOL

 

Hey, i'm the middle child of nine kids. we were all spanked, because my dad's 80, and my mom's from central america. it was how they were raised. it was how we were all raised. i'm a decent person, and my siblings are all hella nice, intelligent, successful people. it worked for my family. if i have kids, i'll spank them. i'm not gonna beat the shit out of them or fry them in a microwave. just a smack on the ass.

 

kinky!! seriously!

 

^ you're sick

 

I think the BEATINGS are inappropriate. A swat on the butt is acceptable when a kid needs it, in my mind. I would never do like my folks did and use belts, spatulas, vacuum wands, etc...
An open-palm spank in my mind is no big deal.

Yeah- I had my art privileges taken away if I misbehaved. I started getting very into my artwork at an early age, so when I was naughty my folks took away my paper, pencils, colors, paints, and stuff like that... Probably why my parents and I have such different ideas about art. They think mainstream artists who work in oils and nothing else and do it for money are wonderful... Apparently my trance-drawings, garbage-sculptures, ceramics, and black-light paintings are shit... Their fault I guess. Because of them I learned to work with whatever was handy.