It is hard for us to believe that people who loved us would intentionally hurt us. While most of us turn out O.K. in spite of spanking, it seems likely that it effects us in negative ways. Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Finland, Italy and Cyprus do not allow hitting of children. The purpose of these laws is not to punish parents but to reduce physical abuse and to promote positive parenting. These nations have remarkably low rates of interpersonal violence compared to the United States.
Parents think twice and tend to rely more on verbal conflict resolution to manage their children.
In our country we equate spanking with discipline. We need to pay more attention to children's behavior through training and teaching. Teaching good behavior involves explaining and reasoning, establishing rules and consequences, being good models ourselves, and praising good behavior in children. Such methods help develop a child's conscience and control. They help a child become a self-disciplined adult.