While I take your point and fully agree, strong impressions can be made by means other than spankings. Correcting a toddler ten or twenty times is quite normal.

While my mother did not need to slap me to make herself heard, that slap assured both of us it would never leave my mouth again. That her slap protected me from my own ignorance is certain.

Just as Mr. McFadden explained, his circumstances are different than those of his parents, so were mine. Like it or not, understand it or not, a lot of today’s parents still do not have the luxury of correcting a child ten or twenty times. As you say, children require seven years before words and actions connect inside their minds. If a child’s behaviour puts them in danger – and I mean real danger – a spanking can keep them safe.

If you have no experience of those kinds of circumstances, it would be difficult for you to understand or accept it. That said, I’ve followed your work here on Medium for quite a while and your desire to learn and understand impresses me. Stretch yourself a wee bit more, and you might find that you do understand my mother’s slap, even condone it. Circumstances, Mr. Kelly, consider them.