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I was spanked probably three times in my entire childhood. Will I do it to my kids? Probably not, but it definitely kept me in line.
I think it's important to talk to your kids as they get past 5, 6, 7 years old and really explain WHY they can't do something or the repercussions of their poor actions. But after working with preschoolers I think one of the best things I learned was keep the words to a minimum.
There are a few parents around here who just blow me away when their kid knocks over an entire display in my store and they go "Preston please stop running and terrorizing this store, Daddy's going to be mad and then you won't watch Bob the Builder when you get home, do you hear me???" Christ lady! NO he doesn't hear you, the ears shut off after the third word. You say "Stop." No. Stand here.
Back to the original point of the thread, sometimes you look around and see the total lack of concern for others and it is really scary. The thing is, it's probably always been this way. The only thing that has made it worse is that these days, anyone can afford some sort of legal counsel and EVERYONE is quick to shout "lawsuit!" when they've been wronged.
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