Punishment including the physical discipline of your dependent child is not denied by the law. Moreover, the state recognizes the duties and responsibility of a parent or guardian to correct or discipline improper behavior. The thing to remember here is the reasonability of the action taken. That "reasonability" however, is in the eyes of the court, not necessarily you. The court may deem what "you feel is reasonable" - "unreasonable". So as a general rule, always remember: Donít let the discipline be worse than the behavior it is meant to correct. The following RCW is the current law as it pertains to this matter.
RCW 9A.16.100 USE OF FORCE ON CHILDREN-Policy-Actions presumed unreasonable. It is the policy of this state to protect children from assault and abuse and to encourage parents, teachers, and their authorized agents to use methods of correction and restraint of children that are not dangerous to the children. However, the physical discipline of a child is not unlawful when it is reasonable and moderate and is inflicted by a parent, teacher, or guardian for purposes of restraining or correcting the child. Any use of force on a child by any other person is unlawful unless it is reasonable and moderate and is authorized in the advance by the childís parent or guardian for the purposes of restraining or correcting the child.
The following actions are presumed unreasonable when used to correct or restrain a child: (1) Throwing, kicking, burning, or cutting a child; (2) striking a child with a closed fist; (3) shaking a child under age three; (4) interfering with a childís breathing; (5) threatening a child with a deadly weapon; or (6) doing any other act that is likely to cause and which does cause bodily harm greater that transient pain or minor temporary marks. The age, size, and condition of the child and the location of the injury shall be considered when determining whether the bodily harm is reasonable or moderate. This list is illustrative of unreasonable actions and is not intended to be exclusive.