Did you even bother to read the actual study referenced in that telegraph link, or just skim the article for highlights? Because even the brief synopsis from the authors of the study (which would have taken you about 10 seconds to read and interpret) clearly refutes your points and lends credence to your opponents…

Just reading everything you've just written tells me that you are not the paragon of human potential.

Every single time I put on my uniform and arrive at work, I sit on the edge of my seat for hours, hardly able to contain my excitement as I eagerly await hearing the following phone exchange:

Dad- "Hello, police department? Could you please send an officer out to watch me slap someone around a little bit? Not hard…

If a BMW and a lawyer-spouse constitute "a good life."

Please, for the love of god (or non-deity of your choice), just don't hit your kids.

Science says otherwise.

You can believe whatever your want, but evidence to the contrary is so prolific that even in my child development text books specifically said that spanking is damaging to children and there are zero long-term benefits, only long-term consequences.

Good god. If we need police officers to tell us if the way we're touching a child is legal perhaps parents should find a new method of punishment?

The research has been done. While spanking may get children to listen in the moment is is ineffective in teaching children 'proper behavior' all the while leaving emotional…

Ye gods, you mean the one whose kids skip grades and write novels at age 12?

OMG you have a Beemer AND a lawyer husband? Wowzers!

You're right, kids these days do SEEM to have a lot of problems. It's the same way that violence SEEMS to be on the rise, even though it isn't. You can't just declare "poor science" and call it a day, you know.

Perhaps the police could just come over and talk with the kid about good behavior? That seems fine.

Agreed. Striking an adult is assault. Why should it be any different for a little kid? Spanked child = failed parent.

Instead of spanking, maybe just have a group come over to point and laugh while the kid is verbally abused.

My father spanked me a few times, and slapped me across the face once. Never feared him, but do still loathe him and have nothing to do with him. Is that what you want?

Well, a man who was upset that his daughter got into an argument with her sister earlier this week couldn't find any other way to get the girl to learn what she'd done was wrong without raising a hand to her.

Your beliefs don't really matter in the face of overwhelming evidence. You can believe at spanking works, just like you can believe that failing to vaccinate your kids in any way protects them; "believing" doesn't mean it isn't stupid, and it doesn't mean you're not an idiot.

I just...what?

I hope she sues her father and the county.

So you can spank your child and to add an extra layer of humiliation, do it in front of an audience of law enforcement strangers? 'Florida' should be a verb to describe horrible things. You shot someone in the face for accidentally stepping on your front lawn? You pulled a Florida.