I was never beaten as a young child, and I was never severely punished.
I was given a smack on the bum when I misbehaved, and I didn't like it.
I was only ever given it a few times, and not for ordinary misbehaviour. I had to have done something that I should have known not to do.
I never disliked my parents for punishing me, I just disliked being punished.
Since I disliked being punished, slightly because I didn't want a smack on the bum, and also because I have a fear of confrontation, I actively try not to do naughty things.
Of course every now and then, the childness of myself gets through and I do something I shouldn't have, or I get moody and angry and rotten, but I don't go hanging off the walls, starting fights and breaking the law.
I have had a very good pair of parents, and my grandparents have always been at hand to help, and I've always been taught right from wrong.
I know that I don't do wrong, or atleast majorly wrong (Everyone's naughty occasionally), and I credit that to having been given reasons not to do wrong (smacked bum) and being taught what was right and wrong.
Also be aware that a smacked bum didn't mean I was belted or properly walloped. It was a... light slap.
It's hard to explain. It wasn't nice, but it wasn't harmful. And it was done through fabric.
I personally find that the idea of inflicting physical punishment on a child is a fair enough thing to do.
I don't however, agree with people who simply just use physical punishment and expect it to be a detterance.
I don't agree with people who are then abusive with physical punishment.
There is a very fine line between an uncomfortable smack on the bum and properly smacking your child in a way that's going to greatly hurt them, bruise them even, and make them fear you and punishment more than regretting what they did.
It's all very odd, according to my friends, the way I view this subject.
I actively see people who misbehave, cause havok and endanger other people in school and on the streets, who I believe simply needed a thorough parenting and a smack on the bum as a child.
I believe that schools would have an easier time on their hands if they were able to hit unruly children.
Of course it would need to be monitored, so you don't get abusive teachers who hit everyone all the time, even the child who was simply speaking out of turn once.
But, if done right, and it's mildly used, I'm sure it would be an active deterrance to the children in school who actively rebel, cause fights with other students and staff, consistently interupt other childrens education, and who also rile up other children to be as bad as them. They're a bad influence, and if you influence them in a way that stops them from wanting to be punished, such as not doing anything to warrant punishment, I'm sure you'll see a turn around in schools these days.
It was on BBC's Panorama last night about schools that have had military concepts brought into the schools to teach the children manners, and to prevent them from being so horrible.
These schools that have a military concept to them have almost no trouble with students at all.
And these are still in schools that can't hit a child. They just use so much authority, as well as giving the children a place of well belonging, in a military influenced life.
Anyway, that's my opinion, or what I can currently think of on child punishment.
With a good lifestyle, it goes a long way to bring up proper children.
If done wrong, it's terrible and ineffective.
Schools ought to be able to moderatley, and in a monitored format, be allowed to inflict punishment on the unruliest of students as a deterrance.
Children simply need a controlling, comfortable and guiding life-style, and sometimes a deterrance from doing the stupidly wrong.
There is nothing wrong with being a child and doing something slightly naughty, but if it's a really bad sort of thing that shouldn't be done at all, then it deserves some form of punishment to deter.
I didn't really read the rest of the topic, I just answered OP's request.
