As a young child, I used to have to pick my switch from the pepper tree in the yard, god forbid I came back with a twig! Maybe around 10, switches graduated to open hand slaps for a couple of years. After that right crosses and left hooks arrived. Don't get me wrong, this didn't happen every week or even every month but when I screwed up I knew an ass kicking was coming my way.
Still, just because it happened to me(or you), doesn't make it right. Fear discipline is a thing of the past. Hopefully we are evolving as a society in the right direction.