Spare the rod and spoil the child?

Was taking my morning nap and was awaken by cries and screams of a boy from another household nearby. He was screaming, "mummy, mummy, I don't want" repeatedly. I was wondering why is he screaming & crying so loudly. Then the little boy continues with "mummy, i don't want bit. I want to study" Then I realise that his mom is probably punishing him (caning/smacking) for not studying.

I started to tear when i heard all that screaming and crying.

I pray and hope that my neigbours will never hear my girls cry and scream that way. It is quite heart wrenching to hear the boy's cries & screams even though i know that he's probably been naughty. Yet i started to feel that if the parents had instill a sense of learning since young, would the child be lazy or not wanting to study? And is there a need to resort to spanking?

I know i'll be faced with such a situation when Valerie starts school.... and to think that Valerie will probably get more disciplining than the twins since she's the eldest and as inexperienced parents, there will be many trial and errors when it comes to parenting and disciplining.

I still remember I have never been spanked by my parents. But funnily, always spanked by my tuition teacher. In my days, it is very common to use the cane in tuition centres. But we were told very specifically why and when were are being spanked. For example, we're given 20words for spelling. And for every word that we misspelt, we'll be caned once. So all of that seems very "diplomatic". And we even get to choose the thickness of the cane and the location of where we preferred to be caned, palm, buttocks or legs.

I hope that I will be able to instill good values/discipline in my children that I will not need to ever use the cane.