Punish your child some other way please!!

Why is it when some parents cannot tolerate with their child's behaviour, they always go for the physical punishment? Called mom just now. Told me the story of the brother-in law (BIL) 'pang'ing Ayin. Come on la, just because the kid throw tantrums, no need to punish the kid like that!! There are more ways than one on how to teach (aka punish) your child. The crux of the story is that BIL did it in front of abah. Rule of the thumb is NEVER punish the children infront of their grams... they can never take it. My dad is the kind who will not confront things if he doesn't like what he sees. In this case, he didn't 'sound' BIL. He simply told mom to leave right there and then...(macam linda lak!!).Abah's plan thwarted though since mum is not the kind to leave things like that... she of course is the rational one by going to Ayin to comfort him. Sometimes, I cannot understand the BIL. You would thot being in the profession that he is in, he would be the sensitive kind. I cannot argue that he does treat my sis well. But with Ayin, he can be a wee bit harsh at times. The problem is, Ayin gets 'it' for the tiniest of problems. And, being Ayin he will only throw tantrums when he knows that he is in the right. That is why I feel that the punishment is unfair most of the time! Perhaps, being an eldest child, he did receive similar treatment from his dad when he was a kid.. but please, not all families treat their eldest child like that la!! I doubt that Ayin will be unaffected from all these. He is just 4 goin on 5. It's the psychology effect that I am afraid of. . (wipe tear)