Spanking isn't child abuse; it's common sense--Ruben Navarrette

In Navarrette's blog, he suggests that parents use spanking as an acceptable form of punishment.  In order to gain respect, he says, children need to fear some kind of consequences for bad behavior.  He says that American parents have lost control of their children because they don't have any consequences that they fear for breaking the rules.  He suggests that this practice is harming children because parents are neglecting their responsibility to raise responsible, respectful adults.  He also says there must be rules to spanking: no foreign objects, just the palm of your hand; one swat, through clothes, not bare skin; and never hit a child in anger.

Spanking story, CNN.com