Unfortunately sometimes you have to make them understand that now is not the time. This may be his attempt to do so.

And yet my parents, my wife’s parents and we as parents have never had to say that to a child. Once.

I only spanked my kids once and that was when they tried to run into traffic. I’m sure some people watching judged me and thought I was a terrible parent. But I needed to make them understand immediately that they can’t do that.

So they learned the necessary truth that if they try to run into traffic, they will be hit by a parent?

I don’t think you’re a terrible parent for that, but I am judging you. That doesn’t let them know why it’s wrong to run into traffic, it just lets them think it makes you angry. That is not a way to teach your kids a lesson.