“I question whether an 18 month old who doesn’t have the impulse control nor the proper understanding should be given the opportunity to run into the street”
Of course they shouldn’t. That’s why when it happens, it’s called an accident. But even very small children (once they understand the relationship between an action and a consequence of that action, even if they cannot speak)will understand danger, when it is associated with a negative action, like a potch. I can see that your parenting style works for you, and I wish for you that you never are faced with a need to potch for any reason. I still believe there are times that it is necessary.
There was a story told (and I am a lousy storyteller, so be forewarned, I am about to mess it up), about a woman whose young son was being a royal brat, screaming at the top of his lungs running amok in a store, knocking things down, etc. The mom kept trying to “reason” with her little tateleh, but everything she said was falling on deaf ears. “It’s not nice to speak in a loud voice, shepseleh.” “Please climb down from the counter, yingeleh.”
“My special little tzaddik shouldn’t throw things like that…” etc. etc. as he continued to wreak havoc.
Finally some other mother who was really tired of watching all this, pulled him down from where he was getting ready to throw canned fruits and said in a very firm voice, “Young man if you don’t stop what you are doing this instant, you will be getting a really big potch!” Thus ended the siege. Sometimes the threat is enough.
I understand where you are coming from, and you are certainly a generation younger than I, but believe me sometimes the old methods worked better in the long run. Kids were way more respectful of their elders in my youth. That being said, no one should ever hit a child at the height of ANGER, because then the potch is a release for that emotion and not a learning tool.