In my opinion, all it does is tell the children that violence is an answer. Yes, the child learns that what he/she did is wrong, but they don't find out why. A firm talking to, and/or grounding will give the kid the point much better than hitting. For example, a kids ball rolls into the street. He runs after it, and the parents sees him and brings him back. Then the parent smacks him, and tells him not to do it again, or he'll get another hit. Then comes a time when the parent isn't there. Again, the ball rolls out into the street, and the child, knowing he won't get caught, runs after the ball. Along comes a car, and you get a infant roadkill. Now, if the parent told the kid that if he goes out into the road, he could get hurt very bad, and possily gave an example, the kid is less likely to go out and do it.

When I was a little girl when I did something wrong, like do something deliberately after I was told not to (we know children do this, come on now) I would be taken into my parents room and my dad would spank my bare butt with a leather belt 5 times. I would get 5 more everytime I tried to wriggle out or screamed. This did not make me try to be a good girl, I just eventually became very good at sneaking and lying so that I would not get into trouble. I don't believe that was the right way for my parents to handle things, and I will never spank my child, I don't think it will get the point across, and i think it creates a distance between your child and yourself. By the way I'm only 18 so it's not like this was 30 years ago.

Spare the rod and spoil the child. Of course it depends on the age of the child in question. If the child is too young to understand how going out into the road may get him killed, well then your out of luck with the above opinion.

i think there's a difference between beating a kid and spanking. i'd never seriously HURT my kids- i think a leather belt or wooden spoon on a bare butt is too harsh. but i wouldn't hesitate to spank my kid if he/she needed it. BUT, i think it's also most crucial to have the follow-up talk about WHY their act was wrong, otherwise it's pointless, and like someone else said, it only teaches sneakiness and fibbing or lying. if the kid is given the spanking AND the follow-up talk, they learn that there are consquences for wrong-doings AND why what they did was wrong.

when i was a little girl, my dad would spank my bare but til it bruised. this didnt make me see what i did wrong, it just made me scared of him.