Hitting children is an unacceptable and disgusting practice, even if it is justified as "spanking." Besides the fact that spanking is a morally questionable issue, the psychological evidence that hitting children causes lasting harm is legion.
When children grow up in a hostile environment where their parents "spank" them for whatever reason, the child learns that they cannot establish their parents as secure bases for exploration. Their sense of attachment deteriorates. Their fight or flight response is damaged, and then it malfunctions throughout life. This malfunction is what leads that child to likely suffer from substance abuse issues, enter into violent relationships, commit self-injurious behavior, become plagued by depression, and finally victimize their own children in a desperate act of unconscious vengeance.
Tragically, the only way to help children heal a lot of these wounds is if that child seeks counseling services or manages to find a nonviolent relationship as an adult where proper healing can take place. If not, the individual is likely to suffer the slings and arrows of that abuse for years to come.
If you were hit as a child, you have to realize that what was done to you did not make you a better person. You did not turn out okay. That is a social myth. It is only used to justify future attacks on children. Take this into consideration and stop hitting. Stop perpetuating the vicious cycle. The ignorance and violence has to end. You don't want blood on your hands---do you?
My name is Sterlin. I am the Psychologic Anarchist. Find me over at www.psychologic-anarchist.com, on Facebook, or YouTube, where we are trying to build more compassionate and loving anarchist communities. We also discuss psychology, therapy, communication, and the many faces of love.