I am 27 years old and I was spanked as a kid when I did stuff wrong that I knew was wrong and I have turned out fine not fearing my parents in any way other then when I did something I should not have. I agree that you can have a discussion with the kid at first explaining why they can not do something and why it is wrong. And there are different ways you can punish them like taken away toys, tv time, video games, cell phones (witch they should not have till much older) however once you tell them its wrong and have tried all of the forms mentioned to punish and it still does not work then a physical excretion of punishment should be used. Now I am not saying that you pick the kid of by the neck and pound their face in no that is abuse, however smacking the kid on the but not drawing blood but getting the point across is not wrong. You as an adult need to know the limits and difference between punishment hitting and abuse. There is a line and I would say anyone that abuses a child should go to jail because that is wrong.