Domestic discipline

Domestic discipline (usually abbreviated to DD) is the enforcement of hierarchical order within a family, household or some other domestic setting through the use of punitive measures. These traditionally include corporal punishment (usually spanking) and grounding. The person with the ultimate authority to punish is sometimes called the head-of-household (or HOH).

With minors, DD is enforced by a parent, older sibling, babysitter, day care staff or some other guardian. This may include some non-domestic settings, such as summer camp, school or the military, where senior students, teachers or instructors act in loco parentis and punish the minor with parental consent.

Such an arrangement is less common in spousal relationships or relationships between parents and their adult children, but may be imposed by a dominant spouse or parent. It is sometimes also sought out by those who feel a need for others to structure their lives.

As of April 2008, there has been no focused research to date into the prevalence of DD or DD-like practices between couples, although the number of DD-oriented discussion groups and forums on the Internet anecdotally suggests the practice is gaining slowly in popularity.

Practitioners argue that DD is distinct from domestic abuse because consent is involved. Some also argue that it differs from erotic spanking because the object is mainly discipline, rather than sexual arousal.

Some argue that it is also distinct from the BDSM practice of dominance and submission because it is not an extension of the BDSM subculture and concepts, but of traditional familial practices.

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