So basically you're using fear of pain as a way of controlling your child?
I believe in constructive dialogue, telling a kid something is wrong is useless, unless you make absolutely clear why it is wrong. If you spank your child, to me, it just seems like you're not able to control him mentally, which is just sad. Having to resort to violence against an infant because you can't defend yourself with words or gestures is just pitiful.
And also, just because it somehow turned out alright with you doesn't mean it should be accepted, because I am perfectly able to give you examples where the opposite is true, as well as giving examples of children who did not undergo physical punishments and who turned out very well. Spanking vs no spanking isn't the only way you become who you are.
Then there's also the fact that a lot of children actually get used to the physical punishments, to the point where they either just stop caring, and accept them, or where they try their very best to just avoid getting caught (because there has been no constructive dialogue, just the beating, which means the child might not be aware of what is wrong with his or her actions).
Parents who received physical punishments as a child are also more likely to physically punish their child, and it's only a small step from there to physical abuse if that's the only way of handling kids they know. It's like how victims of abuse in their childhood are more likely to do the same to their children, it's because they don't know any better.
As for the actual topic, I think it was an innovative way of trying to teach her kids a lesson, but which just went wrong. I think neither the parents nor the kids (due to their age) are really to blame. There are valid arguments both for and against it, and I just hope that both sides have learned a lesson.
