From the author: Published on the project TO BEAT OR NOT TO BEAT? Seminar on educational punishment I am often asked whether physical punishment can be used for educational purposes. “Did they beat us?” they say. "They beat me." They fought like Sidorov's goat. And nothing. They have grown and become wiser. And even grateful. And now what do psychologists say?! You can’t hit. You can't flog. So what now? He poured glue into the aquarium, and I gave him a pat on the head for it? He brought a bad mark from school, and I have to buy him a lollipop for it? It is necessary to flog, we think so, it is necessary. Otherwise they will grow up to be morons who only understand “do’s” and don’t understand “don’ts.” Good. I gathered them who think it’s okay to flog, to teach them how to do it in the most correct way. Something like a seminar. "Educational punishment." We've arrived. Both fathers and mothers. They arrived and sat down in rows. I say (from the stage): - Raise your hand, whoever has three or more children in the family. No one raised it. - Raise your hand, who has two children in the family. Two hands. And there are probably fourteen of them. Those who want to learn how to spank correctly. In a scientifically proven way. – Raise your hand, who has one child in the family? The majority. Here I tell them – thank you, fellow citizens! – and ask someone to come up on stage. Dunka Vodokachkina gets up. “If something went wrong, my father would hit me with a bicycle pump,” he says. “It really, you know, weaned me off all bad things.” And I am forever grateful to him for this. Everyone applauded. I waited until the hall quieted down and began to explain. That there is such a simple concept as “carrot and stick”. Sometimes carrots are safer. And sometimes with a whip. And as an example, Dunka Vodokachkina - bam! – a slap on the wrist. “That’s it,” I say, “it’s quite possible.” Psychology, citizens, allows it, and nothing bad will happen to your children, and they will learn the lesson for a long time. Dunka turned purple, but is silent. Then I tell her - bam! - a kick in the ass. And I comment: “But this, my dears, it’s better not to, because psychology does not approve of this.” And you should limit your educational... But then Vodokachkina interrupts me, yelling at the whole hall: “What are you allowing yourself to do?” My listeners jumped up, surprised. They look at Dunka, then at me. Now at Dunka, now at me. With rounded eyes. “Here you go!” – I was also surprised. – We are here to discuss what? Pedagogy of beating. I have to show, illustrate.” Dunka puffs, her eyes sparkling. “So, that means you’re not allowed, right?” - I ask Dunka. “I’m an adult already,” Dunka snaps. “But children, then, are allowed, because they are children, so what?” Some man jumped up and shouted: “So, isn’t it possible to beat children too, you Is this what you want to tell us? “No,” I answer, “I want to understand why I can’t beat you.” For pedagogical purposes. What do you work for, excuse me? “An accountant,” the man answers. “What if you don’t submit the accounting report on time?” What should I do with you then? Maybe a spanking? Or a bicycle pump along the ridge? - But we’re not children, damn it! - the man yells. – We are adults! – So what? The child brought a bad mark from school, and you pumped him or slapped him. Assuming it will help him study better. So maybe you should pump sometimes? Or a slap? Definitely should help you get your work done in a timely manner. Isn’t it? “They would have said right away that it’s impossible,” the man growls. - And there was no need to hit her (nods at Dunka) on the head. - Well, why not? – I shrug my shoulders. “Sometimes, probably, it’s possible.” The audience sighed with relief. “All that remains is to determine in which cases it is impossible, and in what other cases it is possible.” But for this you must understand the meaning of physical punishment as such. Why is it? What is the point in causing physical pain to another person? - So that he never does that again! Never! – a woman shouted from the audience. “It’s warm.” Almost hot. If your child is trying to put a hairpin in a socket, then a slap on the head will help him refuse this idea. In other words, physical punishment is designed to eliminate harmful,.