A Word About Spanking Perhaps no form of discipline is more controversial than spanking. Here are some reasons why experts discourage spanking: •Spanking teaches kids that it's OK to hit when they're angry. •Spanking can physically harm children. •Rather than teaching kids how to change their behavior, spanking makes them fearful of their parents and merely teaches them to avoid getting caught. •For kids seeking attention by acting out, spanking may inadvertently "reward" them — negative attention is better than no attention at all.