"Discipline is different from punishment because it teaches children to learn from their mistakes rather than making them suffer for them. In fact, imposing suffering actually shifts the focus from the lesson that needs to be learned to who is in control. As a result, punishment focuses on the parent being responsible for controlling a child's behavior, rather than the child controlling his/her own behavior, which is the focus of discipline."
VEGANGELICA, this is exactly the kind of stuff I learn at uni about disciplining children. You're right in that physical punishment doesn't allow children to learn from their mistakes and reflect upon the decision they have made. Instead it just teaches them that if they do that particular thing, they will get hurt. It's far more effective trying to instill in children the notion of thinking about what they have done, reflecting on its impact on others, and learning from their mistakes.
Physical discipline to children just takes the focus away from reflecting and learning from their mistakes and instead just concentrates on pain and punishment. This doesn't reflect what the real world is like for adults at all.
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