There is no deterrent any more....*sighs*
The thing is, has our society gone so far into the 'I've got rights' way of thinking that it's too late to turn it around? Sure we can punish kids by sending them to their rooms etc, but their rooms usually contain all of the comforts they could need anyway....and it's often where they spend most of their time by choice.
I think we need to bring back the parents RIGHT to bring their kids back into line. I disagree with beating kids, but an occasional whack when misbehaving doesn't do anyone any harm.
As for the crap about 'It's teaching them to be violent'...it's not. I am completely non-violent, yet received more than one slap for misbehaving as a kid.
What about the little ones that are too young to understand reason? 'No darling, that electrical socket will bite your fingers' is nothing compared to the sudden shock of a slap on the ass. They remember that because it hurt.....but not as much as being electrocuted would have smarted!