Oh yes, that is so true, and it was true in my family as well.  My siblings and I grew up with the threats--make that reality sometimes--of being spanked with wooden spoons and belts, and hardly any of us discipline our kids like that because we too said, "Enough.  I won't make my kid afraid of me and i can get the same results, usually, by alternative punishments."  But it wasn't easy, there are times when my sister says she has to stop herself from grabbing a spoon or a slipper and walloping her children with it when they've been particularly horrible.  Once her son, who was eight at the time, went and told his dad she was mean cause she gave him one smack on the butt for breaking her good china pitcher and his dad said you're lucky you didn't have my mother, you'd of gotten it with a spatula.  We laughed over that now, but it really isn't funny when you think about it.  Still times were different back then and the discipline system was harsher although it DID work, god help us all.

Anyway, thanks so much for your review!