I was spanked as a kid....it worked great. I am a registered professional Geologist who has never been in major trouble and has never been in jail. Even though I was spanked, i loved my parents and they loved me. I had good grades in school, finishing high school with a 3.85 gpa, and being involved in more intellectual extra curriculars - state quiz teams, chess clubs, honors programs...etc.

I went to college at a major liberal university where this topic was once again spewed with venom by those who had a complete and utter lack of control over their emotions. Get a grip, people. There is a time and place for your emotions. Discipline is not one of them. For those of you who say parents do it for dominance, control, or because they hate their kids, its simply not true. Many parents who spank will tell you they hate to do it, and that it hurts them emotionally (hurts them, not the kid). However, the emotions are controlled and lessons are learned. It is similar to money. When emotions are involved in controlling money, its the fastest way to go broke. When emotions are involved in discipline, its the fastest way to lose the discipline and the child's incentive for staying on the right path.

While in college, I was involved in boxing. Some people may say "he learned to hit because he was hit!" Once again, this is simply not true. After many years of no physical punishment to me by parents, I was becoming unsettled inside, and found I was quick to anger and showing minor violent outbursts. Once I began boxing, being struck gave me a whole new appreciation for everything in my world and in me, and I have yet to exhibit violent tendencies or actions, even when engaged violently. Why? experience with it shows what can happen and how it is not worth it to be struck anymore. How do I keep from getting struck? I show people respect, courtesy, and I do not act like a smart ass. This is the whole basis. By preaching "positive reinforcement only" children are learning they can mouth off to be and be incredibly rude and only have the punishment of "words". This is until they become adults and mouth off to someone violent who pulls a gun or knife. The whole situation would be avoided by the use of courtesy and respect, which is completely undermined by positive reinforcement only.

People who believe they are "englightened" enough to preach positive reinforcement only are those in our society who actually believe they deserve the best of everything being given to them. The people who believe their wants and needs trump others. The kind of people who are so selfish, self absorbed and arrogant that they think they can do, say and act however they want. They become obsessed and think they are at a higher level than everyone else. Then they come onto debates like this thinking they are better, and proving it by using screen names like "Integrity". Hate to tell you, integrity means you do whats right, pay for whats wrong, admit when youre wrong, and do what you can to help others do the right thing. Preaching positive reinforcement only and making back-handed claims that all people who spank are child abusers is the complete opposite of "integrity".....