I think it is definitely possible to discipline with or without spanking etc...but I think the problem is that parents are tired and busy. They rush home from work, rush to extra-curricular events, ahve no support from extended family and often bring work home with them on their blackberries etc. Life is all about rushing kids from one event to the next, whether it be eating dinner and getting to bed or hockey practice...there is very little down time for anyone and everyone is always stressed! I feel this sometimes myself and struggle to keep it at bay because I do not want my kids to feel stressed...but at the same tiem I have to get them to eat and to bath and to bed on time so they are ready for school the next day and so I have time to clean up and rest a bit myself before the next day begins. And I purposely avoid putting my kids in extra-curricular activities except for one at a time because this just adds to the chaos and the stress and is totally unnecessary! Too little time, too much stress, tired parents...nobody has teh energy to discipline...it easier to just give them the cookies they want and buy yourself a few minutes of silence. I also agree that we are judged a lot by others in society and it makes it harder to discipline because we have to endure the "looks" from others when we do.