I agree with you 100% I am also early 30's and my life growing up was just like yours...there was no talking back, and no rewards for doing what was expected.
Now I have a child whom I will spank...not as regularly as I was spanked as a child, but when something is done and it’s wrong, I will get after her.
I think the Gov. is too quick to call a spanking abuse...even if it was a good one that leaves marks. A spanking should inflict pain not injury...a small wrong deserves a small spanking and serious wrong deserves a serious spanking!
Schools and Gov. need to let us raise our kids....that’s why teachers are in such a state now! They can’t control the kids and the kids can’t be properly punished at home.