I wonder how many of the commenters are parents...
OT: I personally don't agree with 'spanking' or resulting to physical means as a form of punishment for children although I was raised in that type of household. For my daughter, I choose to use positive reinforcement to teach her. Where I find some parents "fail" in teaching their children is not providing the reason as to why. Children want to know why something is wrong and by providing them with a better understanding, it will lead them to make the best choice on their own.