True, a parent may refrain from punishing a child in public or around the child’s peers, thus saving the young one some embarrassment.
فَلَيْسَ لُطْفًا مِنْ جِهَةِ ٱلْوَالِدِينَ أَنْ يُهَدِّدُوا أَوْلَادَهُمْ بِٱسْتِمْرَارٍ بِتَنْفِيذِ ٱلْعِقَابِ ثُمَّ يُعْفُوهُمْ مِنْهُ .‏