I believe in corporal punishment, but the trick is to make the threat of it the controlling factor, and not the spanking itself. I don't know how he did it, but it was the thought of getting it from my father's belt that controlled me. He probably actually used it only two or three times my entire life. And, to my knowledge, never really left a mark. But, just the thought of it was terrifying.
My father was very big on consideration for others. If, because I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing, I stepped on someone's toes, literally or figuratively, I got a sharp crack on the back of my head with the fingers of an open hand. It stung, but didn't really hurt, and it sure got my attention. This was followed by the admonition "pay attention to what you're doing. There are other people in the world besides you."
Another important lesson learned from this was that I must bear the consequences of my actions. And, I grew up in an era when your misbehavior had consequences. I was also raised in the era when, if I got in trouble at school, or anywhere for that matter, LOOK OUT. I was in trouble at home too. If I screwed up; I payed for it. Imagine that!
He was also big on teaching me that no one was more important, or had more rights than I. BUT, that I was no more important, or had more rights, than anyone else.
In reality, it was the fear of displeasing my parents that made me avoid misbehaving. I was one of the lucky ones who had very good, loving (but hardly perfect) parents.
