I am not against spanking, but there is a difference between spanking and abuse. Most people have wanted to smack child at one time or another, but the basic choice is between hitting them on the face or swatting them on the behind. The bottom is covered with a thick layer of fat and can absorb a bit of punishment and pain. The reason why kids need a painful reminder sometimes is because words will not do when kids are not in control of their impulses / emotions. At these moments are kids or teens are not rational beings and they cannot be dealt with rationally. A good spanking is like shock therapy; it brings young people back to a place where they can control themselves, which will be, as it turns out, a requirement of them as adults throughout their lives. Yes, we should reason with young people until reasoning stops working, but after that only a physical reminder will suffice. In the US now, young people are increasingly never punished (neither verbally nor physically) due to the political correctness of feminism and the 'progressive' approach used in schools. It is well documented that US school children and teens are out of control, which is well illustrated by rampant drug use, violence, promiscuity, and disrespectful behavior for schools, teachers, principals, and parents. One common sense way to measure whether strict parenting is a good idea is to listen to the stories of people who have been raised in a permissive household vs. those raised in a strict household. Those who have been raise by lax parents are lackluster and place no value in rules, hard work, earning things, or respecting people. They don't carry about anything and generally are hard to work with or be around. Those who were punished when they needed it are vivacious and recall how angry their parents got on this or that occasion with a big smile on their faces--because they indeed got what they needed, not what they wanted. If you visit a state like Texas in the US, you'll notice that young people and adults are generally very polite. This is because you grow up there saying 'yes sir / mame' and 'no sir / mame', and parents demand respect always. So young people in Texas grow up to respect not only their parents, but also adults and society in general. Children have been spanked for thousands of years and they did not turn out to be depressed or unhappy, just the opposite in fact. Look at the cultures in the world who demand respect from young people; they have populations that are productive and mature. Look at cultures who are afraid of their young people; they have populations that are childish, entitled, and spoiled.
