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[quote=Anonymous]Yes. I still have a very vivid memory of my mother slapping my sister in the face in front of me when I was about 12 and my sister was 16. It's the only time I remember my mom hitting one of us, but it reflected dysfunction in our family and, in particular, my mother's difficulty in viewing her children as people with separate needs and lives than hers.

Also, though my mom didn't usually hit us, my father spanked us with a belt throughout our childhoods. Both of my parents engaged in emotional abuse and neglect. I mention this because it reflects the pattern of abuse that occurred in my home. I'm sure my mom would say that hey, she only hit my sister once so it wasn't abusive, but she would probably concede that my dad's behavior was abuse. But it's one family. It's a system of abuse. Families that practice respectful communication and parents that model healthy behaviors for their kids don't just accidentally slap their kids once. It's usually part of a greater dysfunction.

That said, if you did slap your kid but held yourself accountable, apologized, and created a plan for ensuring it wouldn't happen again, I think you could undo the harm of the slap. Every parent makes mistakes. Acknowledging them and holding yourself accountable is how you model for your kids how to deal with their own mistakes.[/quote]

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