After such a long time isolating at home, summer, with all the outdoor activities it has to offer, is like a blessing. A warm, fleeting blessing, begging to be enjoyed. However, taking your kid to a public place and getting them to behave can be tricky.

Parents have a lot of tricks up their sleeves to make it work. But every now and then, they also need to discipline their kids.

John Adams, a dad of two and the man behind multi-award-winning parenting and fatherhood blog DadBlogUK, told Bored Panda: "Discipline in a family is important, but you do have to find a balance between allowing your child to learn from their mistakes and making clear when they have done something very wrong [but] if a child hits another child or bunks a lesson from school, they have to be punished so they know there are consequences to their actions."

Adams also pointed out that the definition of discipline changes as a child gets older.

"If you're having to discipline a young child, you're probably telling them off for walking too close to the edge of a road, for taking a dangerous risk at a swimming pool or something like that. With older children, it can be about giving guidance. Why is it they always seem to get in trouble with the one school friend? Why did they think it was acceptable to light up a cigarette in front of a school teacher? Shouting will achieve nothing in those circumstances when a child needs guidance and if anything, could damage your relationship," the dad explained. "The one thing my wife and I have never done is hit our children. It simply isn't necessary and sends such a bad message to your child."

He's right. The American Academy of Pediatrics (APP) advises that parents and caregivers should not spank or hit children. Instead of teaching responsibility and self-control, spanking actually does the opposite: it often increases aggression and anger in children. A study of children born in 20 medium to large U.S. cities discovered that families who used physical punishment got caught in a negative cycle: the more children were spanked, the more they misbehaved later, which prompted more spankings in response. Spanking’s effects may also be felt beyond the parent-child relationship — it sends the message that causing someone pain is OK if you’re frustrated. Even with those you love.