[Marsh.]

I think smacking may be effective with an older child (definitely not a beating). But, if a parent has done their job probably in bringing the child up then the child wouldn't do something so serious to warrant a smack. It would have to be pretty serious to warrant a smack in my eyes.

But, like Doogle said, a smack that isn't 'hard' but gets the message across that the behaviour won't be tolerated.