Sorry but it is still violence. Maybe of a different sort, but it is still violence. I don't doubt that there were and may still be family environments in which kids get spanked and grow up to be highly functional adults. But parenting culture is changing, and it's no longer generally accepted that hitting a child will produce desirable changes. Recent studies have shown a positive correlation between corporal punishment in the home and increased negative behavior as well as lowering of self-esteem. There are plenty of non-violent ways of teaching kids right from wrong and instilling responsibility.