[Powdered Toast Man]

I wouldn't classify regular spanking as child abuse either. I certainly don't think a parent should be locked away or have their kids taken away because they gave their kid a good kick in the ass (I know I deserved a few in my youth). However, regular spanking is completely ineffective as a method of parenting. What does work is setting rules, and STICKING TO IT - once you've made a decision you cannot let the kid eventually get their way if they just keep pushing. How many episodes of Super Nanny have you seen where this is exactly the parent's problem? Their kids run wild and they can't control them because they have no credibility. Even spankers have the same wild kids.