Spare the rod and spoil the child. Your thoughts?

There is no set formula to raise and discipline a child. While many parents believe in sparing the rod and using words like 'What you have rather done' or 'Lets try that again' instead of 'No, you can't' or 'Don't do that again.' It's really a question of how you want to parent your child. My parents never used physical means to discipline me or my brother. Having said that, they did use words like 'No, you must not do that again.' But it was said politely yet firmly, and it always worked. It's important for parents to lead by example, as Ms. Mendoza also mentions.