Ma'am, don't count to 10...beat your kids.

I went to the Whole Foods down the street for lunch to grab some sushi and encountered the most rambunctious, incorrigible foursome of children I've come across in quite some time. Well, the two girls weren't that bad, but the two boys were trouble from the get-go.

I spotted the group getting out of a blue Volvo station wagon parked in front of the grocery store. They gave Mom fits as she tried to get them ready to cross the street. The ringleader, who's name I learned was Alex, kicked the shit out of his little sister and tried to act like he didn't. It was a little too warm outside for me to be sticking around for this melee, so I headed in.

I'm in the produce section, sampling looking at grapes when I felt this cart bump my ankle. The cart didn't hit me hard, but it hit me. I look up to see who's responsible for this and didn't see anyone. I glance over and standing in the middle of the floor is none other than Alex's bad ass. This runt had pushed the cart clear across the floor. Mom saw what he did and was apologetic. I continued shopping for produce.

I picked up some spicy soft-shell crab sushi for lunch, then headed over to the bakery to get the bagels for the orgasmic organic apricot & ginger cream cheese (It's soooo good). Suddenly, I hear the loudest, most shrilly scream I've ever heard in a grocery store. The scream was following by incessant crying. I glance over and one of the daughters is having a fit on the floor near the cookies:

Girl: (crying loudly)

Mom: Stop it! Stop it this instant!

Girl: (still crying) I WANT A COOKIE!!!!!!

Mom: I offered you options and you chose not to make a decision. You can hold onto the ice cream, ok? Let's go pay.

Girl: (falls limp on floor and starts crying more loudly)

Me: (completely bewildered and alternately staring blankly at the woman and the screaming child)

Mom: Get up Sarah. I'm not kidding.

Girl: I WANT A COOKIE!!!!!!!!!

Mom: Sarah, I'm gonna start counting.

Girl: (screaming)

Mom: 1-2-3-4...

Meanwhile, in the middle of all this commotion, her boys use this as an opportunity to chase each other up and down the the aisles.

I had finished selecting my bagels. Mom was still counting.

Question: I'm usually one who advocates not hitting kids, but some of those bastards beg for it. Honestly, I think Mom just needs to whack one of them in public just once. One taste of public embarrassment/shame and slight pain would do those kids some good. My recommendation to Mom would be to get Alex's ass in line. Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.

In your opinion is it ever acceptable to be physical with children?