Yes, people still do the soap punishment today, maybe not as much, but you can find it plenty still if you look on social media. And a spoonful of soap isn't much at all lol. Yes, I did try it out of curiosity before. I used a bar and it made my tongue swell up until sometime the next day, plus gave a burning sensation when it was in my mouth. But it was ultimately temporary, so I think it's fine. I tried liquid soaps much later too; they just tasted bad. Can you elaborate on the discipline part you agree with? Do you agree with how I described to do it, and showing the warning label? Or how would you do that? I think it's important to understand that parents/babysitters/guardians/caregivers get frustrated sometimes, so it's being done for them too. Like once you put yourself in their shoes it's easy to see why that punishment is used, especially if it's a really bratty, misbehaved kid they have to deal with. And obviously it's something you'd only do rarely, which is why you can be a bit lenient about the safety part of it.