Exactly what the child did to provoke your assault
After several warnings and time outs, and the announcement that if she did it again, she was going to be spanked, she opened the cupboard where my asshole housemate kept his live ammo, black powder and other firearms things. Without any child locks, let alone gun safes.
how old the child was
About 18-24 months old.
whether your physical response was immediate, or whether you considered carefully all of your possible options
It was immediate. After all, I’d told her, ahead of time, what the continued consequences would be if she didn’t leave those cupboards alone.
how you decided on the exact duration of the punishment–i.e. only three slaps, or using a open palm instead of a closed fist.
It was what I told her would happen if she continued to open the cupboard. In the event it was a single swat, on her diapered bottom. Shocked the Hell out of her, but I still don’t believe it hurt her.
Whether you were dispassionate in adminstering the punishment, or in a state of emotional turmoil yourself
Dispassionate in my actions and voice. Resigned, too.
What you felt would surely be accomplished by physical chastisement that mere verbal or non-painful punishment (deprivation of privileges, grounding, etc.) could never accomplish
That she would stop going to the cupboard and trying to open it.
Whether you’re satisfied that your desired lesson was learned
Yes. She left that cupboard alone after that.
I also finally got my asshole housemate to accept that he couldn’t keep his fucking ammo, black powder, and for all I knew spare firearms, in an unlocked cupboard in the fucking play room.
FTR - I am not the child’s parent, I was simply the primary care-giver at the time, because both my housemates at the time (her parents) were working full time, or close to it. The whole ridiculous situation came about because the asshole housemate was the home owner of record and refused to either move his fucking ammo, or allow anyone to install child locks on the cupboard. He had also threatened to call the cops on me if I touched his stuff.