I was beaten across the back and rear with belts, yard sticks and hands on minimum a dozen occasions before I fought back at the age of 12 and took a knife to my step-dad. (He ran out of the house and that was the last corporal punishment I ever got at home from either mom or him.) In school, I received the strap five or six times that I can recall. Truth is, it never taught me a damned thing except to 'get tough' and just not give a shit about the adult world. However, all it took to make me 'see the light' or 'error of my ways' was a word from my grandfather. He never once raised his hand to me. I thought the world of him, and just a look of disapproval would make me rethink whatever had brought on 'the look'.

I have never hit children. Not mine or those of others. Hitting kids is not right IMO.