Coming from the last dregs of a generation that occasionally had unsupervised space to run wild, climb trees, roll down hills, bike freely, etc., I'm pretty concerned about the ramifications of treating children as though they're suicidal morons, especially via fear and force.
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What I'm trying to get at: (1) do you think a fear-compliance relationship with your child is *necessary* to keep him safe, and, separately (2) do you think there are some negative consequences to having that kind of relationship?
So the problem — and I'm speaking from direct experience, here — is that in a relationship, no single party determines what the "basis" of the relationship is; once you've established that disobedience will at *your discretion* be punished painfully, that colors everything else.
