a) the spanking is more uncomfortable than painful
???????????? how is having your ass smacked as a preschool/elementary school kid remotely comfortable
b) is paired with a firm but loving attitude from the parents
As a kid, and I stress this.
As a kid, could you
ever stomach the "tough but loving" mentality a lot of unknowledged parents love to regurgitate over and over again? Sure, you're grown up now and you'll accept it as fine because a) they were your parents and they were right, b) they're not spanking you anymore so you probably don't really hate them as much, if at all.
I'm not trying to be cynical here but I'm annoyed by this perspective, because there are
a ludicrous amount of effective ways to be a parent than inflicting pain upon your child, or otherwise just making them see you as an starfish, if not a monster.