By the time she spanks, it is the mom’s second misbehavior. The first is whatever she did or did not do to cause the child to “misbehave.” A 15-month-old or a 3-year-old may be curious, impatient, goading, erring, attention-seeking and cuddle-requiring. But children are never really “bad” until parents mistreat them or teach them bad behavior. The mom or dad who is so threatened by a 2-year-old’s attempts at demonstrating a little autonomy that they would need to spank should take lessons in self-esteem. YOU, as the parent, are so unquestionably in charge, you don’t need to lord it over a baby. Instead of a “time out,” what is needed in the case of a child who is acting out is a “time in,” where the parent pays attention to the “naughty” child giving it the love that its “misbehavior” is actually crying for.